Maybe Tomorrow
by waitingfornow
Summary: The sequel to More Like Her. Picks up right where the previous story left off. Please read that first or you will not understand this story.
1. Chapter 1

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ The sequel to __More Like Her__. The rest of the story from Piper's perspective. The first chapter is a little rough, I apologize for that now. But things will pick up just as soon as I get used to being in her head. I hope you guys enjoy and please, __**please**__review. It keeps me writing and I love reading everything y'all have to say, both about this new story and about the previous one._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter One:**

What had I been thinking?

When I made that decision, the decision to leave the Cullens in search of my past, it had honestly seemed like a good idea at the time. After all, how could you remember your life unless you retraced your steps?

My steps traced all the way from Hanover, New Hampshire to Valdosta, Georgia. That was where I'd been born and raised, but it wasn't where I ultimately found the one thing I'd always been missing. The one thing that had always been denied to me, just because of who I was and the family I'd been born into.

It's strange when you think about a person having three names in their lifetime, but only surviving seventeen years. Seventeen years of torture and violence. I could only now remember my family through dimly-lit memories, memories that had been seen through human eyes. I was no longer human. For all intents and purposes, my life ended when I raced from my hometown to escape the worst kind of hell.

In the span of thirteen months, I went from being Piper Cheyanne Reaves, to Piper Cheyanne North, and finally Piper Cheyanne Cullen. Out of these three names, the only one that made me feel more than just some shell of a person was Piper Cullen. It was also the surname of the person that traded my human life for something different.

Before meeting Dr. Carlisle Cullen, I'd never thought that vampires existed. Of course, I'd read the books. I knew enough about the mythology that the darkness of it intrigued me. But looking back now, I realized that there had been a lot of dark elements to my life. How else was a little girl going to distract herself while her mommy begged for her daddy to show mercy? It was through this world, a world I didn't even _believe_ in that I was able to maintain some semblence of my sanity.

Dr. Carlisle Cullen transformed me into a vampire to save my life. A life that, once I'd become a vampire, I couldn't remember. All because of the man that had given me the last name North.

This was the same man I now stalked. He was the only reason I'd decided to leave Hanover and return to the one place I'd sworn I would never step foot into again.

But yet, here I was, hidden in shadows while I watched Jason North leave the tiny apartment that had once belonged to us. Me, him, and our infant daughter.

Rage surged through me in blinding rush as the faint memories in Virgina washed over me. It was strange how easily I could recall some things now. Now that I was back in the home of my nightmares, the blank spots were finally starting to fill themselves in. I could feel everything now, so much stronger than I'd ever been able to endure in my human life. I still had this hidden fear that I wouldn't be able to remember everything that had happened to me. After all, these were the events that led me to who I was now. Or rather, _what_ I now was. I was now a force worse than death. But I'd hoped, in vain, that coming back to Valdosta would unlock some of the mental doors that had been closed off to me when I lost consciousness just six months ago.

Jason climbed into the shabby car he'd rebuilt when we were fifteen and drove off. I'd never thought that I could be so disgusted with another human being. Even though my life had been less than stellar, I had always prided myself on coming out of it as unscathed as I had. But now, I was realizing just how very wrong I'd been about my self-image. I couldn't help but look at this person now and be unable to overlook all of the pain and agony he'd put me through. How had I been so blind to his faults? How could I have looked at him like...like I now looked at Edward.

Just his name alone sent a slice of pain through my entire body. I was momentarily frozen by it. It went a lot deeper than I'd thought it would and against my better judgment, I began to flash back on the last few minutes I'd spent with him. In the bedroom the Cullens have given to me when I joined their family.

My first memory as a vampire had included Edward Cullen. He'd actually been in the room when I woke up, staring at me with this unreadable expression on his face. Of course, he'd known what I would awaken to, all of the limitations and temptations set out before me. But as I stared at him for those first, fateful few minutes; I'd seen none of that in his eyes. It was almost as if...as if the only thing he felt for me right then was pity.

That was the first time I realized just how deeply Edward loathed the monster that lurked behind his beautiful golden eyes. His face was forever embossed in the perfect memory granted to me as a vampire. Just closing my eyes brought it all back. The most vivid memory in my arsenal; the image of Edward that very first day.

Refusing to let myself dwell on that anymore, I pushed the onset of pain to the side and slid out of the shadows I'd hidden in to watch Jason. I needed to make absolutely sure that he was gone, I didn't want the temptation of him being so close to me. Not when the only thing I could clearly think of doing to him was delivering him to death's door. He'd done the same for me, the monster behind my own eyes justified that it was perfectly reasonable for me to return the favor. My stomach clenched uncomfortably when a sudden list of all the people I wanted to hurt sprang to mind.

Maybe I wasn't as over my past as I liked to think I was.

* * *

I finally made it back to my hotel room and suddenly began to wish I still had the ability to sleep. The door clicked shut quietly behind me as I toed off my sneakers then sighed and dropped onto the edge of the neatly made bed. It had surprised me a little when I was first told I would never again fall asleep, but the way I saw it? There was nothing else for me to dream about. I'd long ago lost the urge to dream of a world that was better than the one I was stuck in. Hoping for something like that did no good and usually ended me in more hot water than I'd been in at the time.

Still, right then I would have given anything to be able to lay down and slip into another world. The loneliness that had clung to me from the moment I climbed into the car given to me by the Cullens, felt even tighter around me now that I had nothing to do but think.

I got to my feet anyway and sighed lowly as I peered through the cheap blinds covering the wide window. Right in front of the door sat the pristine automoblie that was mine and mine only. I'd owned a car in my human life, yeah. But it had been a beat-up Nissan that Jason had rebuilt. Barely. I smiled softly and remembered vaguely all the time and energy I spent negotiating with a piece of junk. When the negotiating didn't work, then I would end up threatening it. At the time, it'd been very theraputic to get it all out. All the things I'd wanted to say to Jason were unleashed on a defenseless car.

At least I could say I had one thing in my life that was unreliable but at least it never yelled back.

Now, in place of that beat-up Nissan, I had a gorgeous, vintage 1968 Charger painted solid black. I'd always wanted a car like the one I was currently staring at. Dreaming about this car had actually been a direct result from my upbringing, from sitting with my father in better moments and talking about the cars we would own if we were ever lucky enough to obtain them. I'd mentioned this in passing to, of all people, Edward. Just two weeks after mentioning it, the car showed up in the garage, parked perfectly between Edward's Mustang and Rosalie's glossy red BMW convertible. At first I'd just assumed that it was someone else's car. One of the other members of my new family had gone out and found this car, having no idea that they now owned the car of my dreams. But when the keys were slid into my hand, I was flabbergasted. How could people who barely knew me give me such an amazing gift?

But it was mine. The first thing in the world I ever owned and I didn't have to share it with a single person if that was what I chose to do. It was a little strange how a simple automobile could make me feel like that. But every time I looked at the car, before leaving Hanover, was that I had the ability to escape now. I could climb into this car and just drive. No one would come looking for me, no one would be hounding me for information on when I was coming back and if I was making my intended trip alone. There were no strings attached to this car, I was free to use it however I wanted.

Abruptly, staring at the shiny finish reminded me of every single thing I left behind. And for what? That was a question that now seemed to have no answer. Why _did_ I leave? If I got right down to it, no longer lying to myself or putting up false pretenses, the answer was staring me right in the face.

I was simply just not strong enough to face everything that was being built up around me. When you've spent a lifetime in a world of misery and unhappiness, finally finding the exact opposites of that? All you could really do was just sit there and wait for the bottom to fall out.

So instead, I just decided to rip the bottom right out. Before anyone could send my world crashing in around me, I decided to inflict the damage on myself.

I stepped away from the window, blinds snapping back into place behind me, and looked around the bare room. There was only a queen sized bed, two beside tables and a small tables-and-chair set up crammed into the small space. This could hardly constitute as home, not after the splendor I'd seen through the eyes of a Cullen. But strangely, as I walked further into the room and bodily threw myself onto the bed, this felt right to me.

This was what I deserved. This was what I was used to.

* * *

As soon as I got comfortable and finally silenced the noise in my head, a new disruption occured. Of course, the tiny silver cell phone I'd agreed to take when I left Hanover. It'd been ringing for quite a while now, which strangely pissed me off to no end. That familiar ringtone kept breaking the silence and instead of answering, I only contemplated throwing it against the wall.

I could hear the shatter it would make as it splintered into tiny pieces and rained across the trampled carpetting. I didn't have to lift my eyes and look up to see the mental images my violent thought created. It would feel _so good_ to just sit up and with a simple flick of the wrist, demolish the tiny, silver device.

But then that would leave me without a direct line to the life I'd left behind. The world I wanted, more than anything, to return to. I wasn't even sure I had it in me to keep going like this, spending eternity without anyone by my side.

Nevermind the tolerance I needed to be out in public and around humans. It would take centuries, if not longer, for me to feel completely comfortable among my former kind. But every time I stepped out of the room and walked back into the world, I felt nothing. No anger, no unquenchable thirst. Nothing. I was happily numb, even though that melodic pulse triggered the violent burst of flames forever coating my throat. Compared to the other things I had to deal with, managing my thirst came in a distant fifth.

But sometimes, I wondered. How freeing would it be to just let go? After years and years of keeping it all together, playing the perfect little girl no matter what was going on, just letting go almost felt intoxicating to me. It was something I couldn't get over now, no matter how much I tried to divert my attention to something else. There was just no getting around the idea of embracing what I'd become. Other members of the family I'd been born into had done so, with few exceptions.

I still didn't know the entire back history of my family, only because I'd been too afraid to ask. In the human world, there lines you just _did not_ cross and that had to pertain to this world as well. It must've. How else could I explain being kept in the dark about so many things?

This wasn't the first time I lay on a flat surface with more questions than answers. The insanity of it all was starting to make me want to snap. Why did life always have to be this way? Why couldn't things just be simple and neat? That was all I'd ever really wanted anyway. Whenever I dared to let myself think of the future, or how I could change my present situation, all I wanted was simplicity. I wanted people around me that actually cared, I wanted them to see me as more than someone they could use and hurt.

But, of course, that never happened. I'd hoped it would with the Cullens but that was my own doing. In that senario, I'd become the bad guy. I was the one that ripped everything out by the roots. I hadn't given myself time to just sit and enjoy everything. I'd been too scared and wary.

Finally, the incessant ringing got to be too much. I didn't hesitate as I sent the phone flying through the air. But when it bounced off the wall and broke apart, I didn't feel the hint of satisfaction I'd assumed I would. I no longer had to be careful now. There wasn't anyone to watch out for me and make sure I didn't disrupt the balance set up by the vampire world. But still, the desire to do that, to be perfect was still deeply embedded in me.

I couldn't disappoint anyone if my life depended on it.

I flung myself off the bed with barely any effort at all. It was just three seconds later that I found myself snatching up fresh clothes and stepping under the hot spray of water. There was no longer a need for me to bathe, but sometimes it was just...soothing. A humanstic gesture to remind a vampire of what they once were. How silly that I still clung to those when I'd left everything else behind. If I'd thought striking out on my own would be freeing, I'd been devestatingly wrong.

All I felt now, standing alone in a shower stall with tearless sobs tearing my insides apart, was alone. I'd never felt this when I was still alive.


	2. Chapter 2

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **__Thanks so much already for the reviews! I love reading each and every single one of them. Anyway, here's the next chapter. And warning you now, things are going to get much darker and a lot more mature as the story progresses. I'm going all out here! If strong violence, situations, and language offend you, please don't read any further. The story won't always be so dark, I promise. Please keep reviewing and letting me know what you think!_

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Two:**

When I broke the cell phone, I hadn't been able to handle the unfounded grief that swooped down on me. I'd had no real reasons to break the stupid thing, I could have just turned it off if I wanted silence. But there was a tiny voice in the back of my head telling me I'd wanted something more concrete than that. Spending your entire life experiencing violence and turmoil left a darker imprint on your soul than words could accurately describe.

How appropriate that the beaten and battered little girl from Georgia had grown up to fulfill a destiny that embraced everything she'd tried so hard to run from?

It felt strange to have my back to a busy street as I stepped up to the only public phone I could find. I didn't want to use the phone back at the hotel, that just seemed way too personal to fit in my comfort zone. But I had the change and I'd found what I was looking for.

Once the right amount of quarters were dropped into the slot, my fingers nimbly danced over the right keys. Then the phone was ringing. I had no idea who would answer, but I feverishly began to hope for anyone but Edward. If thinking his name hurt, I could only imagine how lethal his voice would be to my self-inflicted wounds.

My luck held out just long enough for someone to answer the phone. As soon as I heard that smooth, silky voice; I knew I'd used all my luck up. Of course, Edward was home and closest to the phone.

"Cullen residence."

He always sounded so formal and polite when he answered the phone. No matter what room of the house I was in when the screeching began, the tone of his voice never wavered. Not until he knew who was on the other line and what they wanted. But this time, he didn't sound quite right. Some warning bell went off in the back of my head and I forgot all about answering him in favor of following this new thought.

What could _possibly _be going on that changed something as simple as how Edward answered the phone?

"Hello?" His voice grew more irritated when he spoke again, which excited me on a level I hadn't even known existed. "Look, you've got five seconds to say something before I hang up."

Oh yeah, things had definitely changed in the month since I left.

"It's Piper." I muttered and pinched my side in anger. I hated sounding so weak and defeated to him. Where was a rush of confidence when I needed one? I didn't want anyone to know everything going on in my head. But even without the weird ability I had to keep the only mindreader I knew out, I was still grateful that he wasn't standing directly in front of me. He had too much power over me for that to happen and me still walk away with some secrets intact.

"Piper." He answered and he sounded so different that I actually pulled the reciever away from my ear. Staring at it for a second, I just pushed it back against my ear and cleared my throat lightly. Hopefully that was enough of a hint for him to pull it together. I didn't need even more to think about right then, not where _he_ was concerned. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

I winced and stared up at the dreary, night-kissed sky stretched out above me. There was no way I could walk around in the daytime here and go unnoticed. Not with the strange reactions my skin had to the sun. I sparkled brighter than a jewelry store right after everything in sight had been cleaned. Somehow I didn't think calling attention to myself in that way was exactly helpful in staying invisible.

I sighed, remembering the questions being fired at me and cleared my throat to indicate I was about to answer. He just had to stop asking questions first! "I'm okay, I'm safe. That's all I can tell you right now." Even without the ability to detect a spoken lie, I could tell my answers sounded fake. But there was just a small part of me that didn't really want any of the Cullens to know where I'd ended up. I could just see them all charging into Valdosta in hopes of talking some sense into me. That was the last thing I wanted right then. I was strangely enjoying the raw energy and power flowing through me too much to endanger it in any way.

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line and I could only imagine what Edward was thinking or doing to regroup. I wasn't volunteering any information, that was blatantly obvious. "You're not going to tell me where you are, are you? Or why you're calling me from a blocked number instead of your cell phone."

"No." I admitted and frowned at how clipped that had come out. "I'm not. Edward...." Suddenly, I was at a loss for words. How could I _possibly_ explain everything running through my head? And over the telephone, no less. If this had been a face-to-face conversation, which I was fiercely glad it wasn't, then I would've been doomed from the word go. I needed every little piece of leverage I could get when it came to dealing with Edward Cullen.

"Yes?"

I frowned into the mouthpiece when he prompted me to keep going. Why did he have to sound so cool and...detached? More importantly, how could he? Especially after how things had ended between us. I swallowed thickly, even though it was an action no longer required by my body. "I'm sorry too." I finally muttered, knowing he would get what I was trying to say without me having to give a long and drawn out explanation. With that said, I carefully replaced the reciever and sighed heavily.

Why couldn't I do just _one thing_ that would offer me at least a small piece of the relief I used to feel? Why did it feel like defeat, being with the Cullens and letting them accept me in every single way?

Just as these questions, as well as a few more for added measure, slid through my mind; a voice I hadn't heard in a very long time answered for me. _It's not what you deserve_. Just hearing that voice, a tone I knew from my human years hadn't been lost in my transformation. She was still with me, reciting word for word everything I'd ever been told by my father and..._him_. I refused to acknowledge Jason North as my husband. That term no longer applied. He'd ceased to exist in Virginia.

I hated the new surge of anger that accompanied that voice. I'd battled with it for seventeen years and some deep pocket of my mind wanted to squash the voice. To finally be rid of it once and for all. The new voice, the one that wanted desperately to wrestle with the other voice surprised me. Not only did this all make me feel suddenly crazy as I turned back for my hotel, but it was so much angrier than anything else I'd ever thought or felt. Of course, as I reflected on it during my walk back, I realized just where this voice had come from.

The monster within me was becoming more vocal as the days went by. I wasn't entirely sure I would have the power to keep her as tightly reigned in as I once could.

I was maybe a foot away from the small complex of hotels when something seized me suddenly. It wasn't a thought or an emotion, something I'd been expecting as I passed sparse patches of humans. I'd assumed, when I walked outside for the first time after nightfall, that I wouldn't be risking temptation as much as if I'd been out during the day. But that was exactly what it was. Someone had come into the general area of where I was and smelled very appealing.

All too soon, my throat erupted in the firey burn of my thirst. A fury of conflict broke out in my mind and body. I'd never smelled anything like this while I was still with the Cullens. Then again, they'd tried their best to keep me in the house and away from the human population. But still. The desire and all-out _need_ to follow this scent compelled me away from the safety net that my hotel room provided. I could easily resist temptation there, surrounded by artifacts from my former life.

My muscles felt like rubber bands stretched out to the fullest extent as I followed the heavenly intoxication of the human pulse. Rounding one turn, the corner of my lip twitched when I finally saw the source of my agony. A small group of young men stood huddled around an entrance. One glance up told me where I was and what they were standing in front of. Of course, I realized the place almost immediately. It was an over-21 club that never checked IDs. Jason had been able to sneak us both in here countless times during the last part of our relationship.

And we always met up with the young men now crowding around the door. I don't know how, but suddenly my memories of that time became crystal clear and so sharp I felt like I was reliving them all over again. I still felt like the girl that trudged down the alley to endure a night of raunchous fun with the man she thought loved her and his buddies.

I let myself take a couple more steps, the lucious pulse drawing me almost as much as the memories possessing every corner of my mind. One of the foursome looked outragiously familiar, but I couldn't place him. I knew I'd seen him somewhere before and as I grew closer, everything snapped into place.

Dylan Moreno, Jason North's best friend, stood in the middle of the small huddle. Dylan Moreno, who had stood up with Jason when we got married. He'd done so much to make my life with Jason as miserable as possible. This was the first friend Jason had ever passed me off on to gain something in return.

Those memories came flooding back so quickly that I stopped cold. I was too heavily gripped by it all to focus clearly on where I was standing. I was out in the open, my eyes widened with memories of Dylan Moreno slipping into my bed while I slept. A chill flashed down my spine as the memories continued in a hazy sequence. His hand slid up my thigh, waking me from the light sleep I'd fallen into. That day I'd found out I was pregnant by Jason, but hadn't been able to build up the courage yet to tell him. I'd been foolish enough that night to wear a simple tee shirt to bed, figuring that no one would disturb me. I'd been home alone when I laid down, I never heard the door open and close to signal their arrivals. But of course, I'd been wrong. Dylan's lips covered mine and made me flinch into complete awareness. I pushed him away so roughly that he almost tumbled off the bed. But that just pissed him off even more and he came at me quickly. My head jerked to the side as I recalled the murky pain that began to radiate through my jaw when his fist connected with the left side of my face. My eyes teared up instantly in the memories and before I could recover from that, large hands had my wrists and yanked them above my head.

My eyes clenched shut involuntarily as the memory went on from there. My arm twitched at my side as I recalled my shirt being ripped from my upper body, leaving me naked and completely vulnerable to my attacker. I tried to cut the stream of images off from there, needing no hints at what followed. Everything was vividly clear in my mind's eyes now as Dylan finished with me and left me broken and bleeding in bed. His laughter, though grainy and shaky because of the difference in hearing, rang throughout the entire apartment as he reported back to Jason. At the time, I hadn't even known he was in the other room. He'd heard every single scream and cry that passed my lips.

"_You were right, J. Girl's _horrible_ in bed."_

The anger I'd felt just seconds ago was a flash-burn compared to what surged through me now. Everything in my line of vision seemed to take on a red hue as I slowly advanced on the cluster of men. I felt nothing but a deep-seeded hatred for the man standing about two feet away from me. From that night on, he'd done everything he could to degrade me in front of Jason. Not that he'd needed much help, but the two of them together? I'd wished for death a million times over by the time they were done with me.

A low smirk fixed itself on my lips as I began to walk forward a little more purposefully. I shoved my hands into the pockets of the leather jacket I'd left open over a gray, zip-up hoodie, both of those hanging open over my solid black tank top and torn jeans. They had tried, many times over to deliver me to the point where I begged mercilessly for death. And now, as I sauntered over and caught Dylan Moreno's eye, I was finally able to return the favor

.

The feeling behind this power of conviction was oddly addicting.


	3. Chapter 3

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **__Yet another chapter with a strong M warning. Letting you guys know now._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Three:**

By the time I made it to Dylan's side, a plan had already formed in my head. There was no way this boy was going to be able to walk away from me willingly. I was sick of playing the good little girl. Revenge was the only thing on my mind.

"Hi." I murmered, silently thrilling when I managed to make my voice sounded exactly as it needed to.

Dylan whirled around so fast that I had to fight to stiffle the giggle that built up in my throat. He looked exactly the same as he had in my altered memories. A quick sweep of the expression on his face and I knew he had absolutely no idea who I was. Esme hadn't been kidding when she told me that my appearance changed as I passed from human to immortal.

"Hey there." As soon as he addressed me, my skin began to crawl. I was emmensely grateful that my superior hearing had lessened some of the damage this boy's voice alone had done to me. I wouldn't ever be able to clearly recall those memories and I wasn't going to ever attempt it. Not after tonight. "What's a pretty girl like you doing out alone by yourself?"

I just shrugged and smiled as the other men exited, only pretending to act shy as they passed my shoulder. The scent of their blood was nothing compared to the pulse emanating from Dylan. I'd promised not to take innocent blood. The person standing beside me didn't count as innocent. There was nothing about him that could save him from my wrath.

Suddenly, I felt like Edward must have during his time away from Carlisle. He'd done the same thing I was doing now, exacting revenge on those that deserved it most. He'd told me, albeit unwillingly, that he felt a small sense of justification in taking one more rapist or murderer off the street. I seemed to be following in his footsteps, as well as Rosalie's. She'd held onto her human memories so tightly after her transformation so she could seek revenge on the men that had taken her happily ever after away. I strangely felt more connected to those two members of my former family now than I had in the comfort of their home.

That was all pushed aside, thought about in two silent ticks of a clock. The shyness cloaked me naturally as I looked up through my lashes at Dylan. He still had absolutely no idea that he'd known me in my past life. "Who says I can't take care of myself? Boys aren't so difficult if you know what they want."

A messy eyebrow raised slightly against his tanned face as he bodily turned to face me. "And you know what I want?"

A million different responses filled my mind, but I distracted myself so I could play my part. It wouldn't do any good to tip him off. I had to be on my game if I wanted him to follow me away from the busy club. I forced my gaze to rake over him so he would think I was sizing him up. And really, I was. He'd been easily able to dominate me when I was still trapped in my human body. He towered over me, my head barely coming up to his shoulder now. But all of that was in the past. The strength of human blood still in my body gave me the advantage I hadn't had when I last faced off with Dylan Moreno.

It was a struggle to maintain my composure as I shrugged and tilted my head slightly to squint up at him. But I did it, which just drew him in even more. This boy couldn't realize death staring him in the face if the entire world depended on it. Thankfully it didn't. My shoulders lifted into a small shrug then bounced back against my body, the expression on my face staying carefully arranged in sly innocence. "Just gonna have to follow me to find out."

I couldn't let myself think about what would happen once I was done as I pivoted on my heel and turned away from him. I refused to let myself back out of this, now that I had his undivided attention. I didn't want to spend any more time with him than I already had to.

A low thumping against the pavement sprang up behind me and a small smile curled my lips involuntarily. Dylan was following me, I could both hear and smell him, even though he was doing his best to stay quiet. Ha, like he could ever hope to sneak up on me again. My eyes did an involuntary sweep of our surroundings as I turned and started down the empty sidewalk. I wasn't sure what time it was, but it was pretty late at night. Everyone had been on their way home when I ended the phone call with Edward.

The surge of pain I always felt now when thinking his name flared agonizingly and I almost lost my nerve right then and there. But Dylan fell into step beside me and once his scent filled my nostrils again, I was recommited to my goal. People often said that revenge served no good in the long run, but none of these people were me. I didn't see the world the way anyone else did anymore. Not after everything I'd seen and been through.

"So where are we going anyway?" Dylan asked and shoved his hands into the pockets of the jacket he wore over his clothes. I could hear the strain in his voice as I continued walking; he was getting nervous. The fear of my very presence was starting to have an affect on him, but I could tell he still had no idea why he should fear me. People were often repelled by us, having a hidden instinct buried within them that kept them away from us. I'd been told about that shortly after my rebirth, but humans were very different in the way they handled things. Some were instantly scared of vampires, wanting nothing more than to follow the mysterious urge to get as far away as possible. But there were some, like Dylan, that didn't realize how dangerous we were until it was already too late. And it was. I'd already dragged Dylan in too far to let him go peacefully.

If I did that now, if I decided against taking his life and letting him walk away, I ran the risk of being detected. He would eventually make the connection and my cover would be blown. The family I wanted nothing to do with would be alerted to my sudden reappearance and whatever plans I might have already made would have to be abandoned. The revenge the monster behind my eyes suddenly sought would become just a pipe dream.

"It's a surprise." I muttered and cut my eyes to watch the expressions change on his face. I heard his heartbeat accelerate when my low voice hit his ears, his eyebrows raised when he realized I was giving nothing away. I was just having way too much fun playing with him. But my impatience didn't last much longer when I found an alley just ahead. The streetlights only touched the opening of the wide stretch of space between two buildings. One had been abandoned long ago, and the other one was closed for the night. No one would come searching for him here. Providing this was the place I picked to leave him.

But when his hand darted out and snaked up my arm, my course of action changed. I was suddenly ready to be rid of him. I knew him better than I had known most people in my life and I knew what he wanted right then. He hated not being in control of the situation. Dylan was trying his best to gain the upper hand. I couldn't peek into his mind, like _he_ would have been able to, in order to find out how he planned to take the reigns from my hand. But it was clearly written on his face, he thought _I_ should be following _him_. Not the other way around.

Without another word or thought, I stepped into the mouth of the alley and turned. My fingers tightened easily around the front of his jacket and in a matter of minutes, he was trapped against the wall of the abandoned building. I'd thought ahead enough to move us out of the streetlamp's glow, so darkness swirled around us.

"What...?" The question died in his throat as I leaned against him, tilting my head slightly as I kept an innocent, yet coy expression on my face.

I was still gripping his jacket, this time with both hands so he couldn't make the connection that I'd been the one to pull him into the alley. I was supposed to be just a weak and frail human. Giving him a glimpse of the power I now had would be no fun for me. I felt him shiver when my chest connected with his, the icy temperature of my skin not entirely shielded by my clothes. He was starting to connect at least some of the pieces.

"Holy shit, you're _freezing_." Dylan blurted out, his eyes wide and hands lightly gripping my hips as I brushed my lips over his jawline. I didn't need to look up to see his eyes roll back into his head, any further thoughts disconnecting.

"Maybe you should warm me up." I muttered almost seductively into his ear as my hands slid beneath the thick cloth of his jacket and over the thin fabric of his tee shirt. His skin felt warm and human under my touch, his pulse speeding rapidly beneath my fingertips. Now that I was so close to his throat, the full power of my thirst gripped me tightly. I'd never been as tempted by human blood as I was right then. But I had to control myself. Draining him and just leaving the body wasn't what I wanted for him. It had to look like an accident. I had to be able to make sure no one detected foul play.

I nearly laughed aloud in his ear when his hands stumbled clumsily over the top layers of my clothes. First, they disappeared beneath the jacket, trying in vain to push away the hoodie I'd left dangling open. But when he realized that wasn't going to accomplish his goal, those same fingers pushed underneath the second layer of clothes. The warmth of his fingers on my skin did nothing for me, but they triggered another violent shudder in him. I was _much_ colder than he'd originally thought I was.

I played coy long enough for him to get my jacket and hoodie off before I regained control of the situation. If he noticed the fact that I was unaffected by the chilly December air, I didn't let it register as I nipped at the skin along his throat. The desire to bury my teeth in the soft, breakable flesh gripped me again and I finally caved. Quick as a flash, I reached up and covered Dylan's mouth so he couldn't scream as my teeth broke the skin at the crook of his shoulder, easily pulling blood through the wound I'd created.

My senses swirled as his blood filled my mouth, so much more sweet and intoxicating than animal blood could ever be. _This_ was what my kind was supposed to feed on, but this was what my family abstained from. The danger in breaking human skin was too great of a risk to take. The bloodlust...my family hadn't been kidding when they warned me of it. The red tint I'd seen earlier once I'd recognized Dylan returned as I concentrated on the wall, blocking Dylan with my body when he tried to struggle against me while I kept pulling blood from his wound. I had to weaken him, _only_ weaken him. I didn't want any more of his blood in my body than I needed. The thought of having any part of him inside me once again was enough to completely destroy the thirst his pulse ignited within me.

It was shockingly easy to pull away as the memories of him attacking me flooded through my brain again. The screams his thrusts ignited pounded in my ears, my human anger at his and Jason's laughter as they celebrated destroying me once again curled in my veins like electric fire. I pulled away once he began to sag against me and roughly pushed him away. He fell easily to the ground, eyelids pulling tight against his dull gray eyes. His chest was heaving as he drawed in as much air into his lungs as he could get and one hand clamped over the wound I'd put in his throat.

My stomach clenched just enough to remind me not to resume feeding when I saw the sticky, red liquid stain his fingers and slid down his wrist, into the open cuff of his jacket. I'd begun carrying a knife once I reached Valdosta city limits and leaned down long enough to extract it from the inside pocket of my jacket before walking over to the dying boy in front of me.

One quick kick to his shoulder pushed Dylan onto his back, shattering the bone where the heel of my foot connected. He hissed in pain, not strong enough to scream. I felt oddly empowered by it all, seeing him writhe on the ground in agony as more blood poured from his neck. He wouldn't last much longer, that I was definitely sure of. My fun, for lack of a better word, would end sooner than I wanted if I didn't act quickly.

I stepped over him and knelt, reaching out to clamp the collar of his jacket over the impression of my teeth in his skin. I'd been careful enough not to leave any of my venom in his system. I didn't know the specifics of creating a vampire, but I knew enough to cover my tracks. Dylan Moreno did not need to follow me into this new life.

"You don't remember me, do you?" I asked quietly, almost thoughtfully as I remained kneeling over his chest.

Dylan's eyes snapped open and fixed on me, his pupils dilating slightly as fear flooded through him. I could see it mix with the pain he felt as his lips twitched. "No...you crazy bitch. Why're you doing this?!"

I had to laugh at his response, resting my forehead on my forearm before I was looking at him again, the knife dangling from my left hand. I shifted slightly and rested my arm on my raised knee before resting my chin against my braced arm. "You know why I'm doing this, Dylan. Or have you raped so many women that they've just blended together by now?"

Recognition flashed through his eyes and he tried once again to scramble to his feet. But it was no use. His shoulder was dislocated and I was still kneeling over him.

"Oh no you don't." I muttered and reached out with my free hand to push him back onto the dirty concrete beneath him. "You're not going anywhere. I can't have you going back to everyone and telling them you've seen me. That'll ruin everything."

"You...you didn't answer my question." Dylan panted, trying to decide which wound he needed to support. The white tee shirt he'd worn under his jacket was stained dark red by now, flecked here and there with dirt from his fall. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because." I shrugged simply and smiled brightly down at him, enjoying it when the flash of my teeth in the dim light sent a shiver down his spine. "You had a hand in killing me. You got off on watching me suffer, watching Jason shatter me little by little. Now I'm returning the favor. And I gotta tell you..." I trailed off long enough to change my stance, pulling the collar of his jacket back as I flipped the pocket knife open and held the tip against the top opening of his neck wound. "You and your boy should've _never_ put your hands on my daughter if y'all weren't planning on making sure you finished me off."

And with that, I wrenched the knife across his throat, not bothering to flinch as the arteries in his neck ripped open and splashed blood across my chest and arms.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Another chapter! This one is less violent than the one before it. Let me know what you guys think! Reviews are like water to a writer._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Four:**

As soon as I got back to my room, I began peeling my clothes off. I'd taken everything with me once I'd cleaned up the alley and threw Dylan's body in a nearby dumpster. I remembered that part of town from my human youth. There was so much shady activity in the area that one more body wouldn't really be a surprise. Especially when that body turned out to be Dylan Moreno's.

Leaving the clothes, minus my beloved jacket, in a pile right beside the front door, I crossed the room and started the shower. I still had his blood on my bare skin and traveling through the veins in my body. A glance in the mirror revealed my eyes turning back into the bright crimson they'd been when I'd awoken. All the time I'd spent diluting the color with animal blood had been ruined in one night.

With a sigh, I climbed into the shower and threw my entire body under the scalding spray. I couldn't feel the temperature as I went through the motions of bathing. My hair was flattened against my skull once I'd lathered shampoo and conditioner through it, and the scent of my body wash was vaguely detectable once I'd rinsed the soapy residue off me.

My head was just a low buzz of thoughts as I shut the water off and toweled myself dry. I didn't bother with my hair, I didn't care how it would dry. The last thing I was concerned about right then was my appearance. I'd just killed my first human, using the term loosely, and it surprisingly didn't bother me as much as I thought it would have.

Maybe it was the connection Dylan Moreno had to my past. A few blank spots had been filled in as I fed off him in that alley. But it wasn't enough to complete the puzzle now driving me crazy. I just wanted to _remember_. I was sick of not having the entire story. Even though the Cullens had told me that not all of my memories would ever be recovered, there were some that I just needed. The blank spots in certain areas made me feel empty, almost hollow in a weird way. There were things that I wanted to remember now, even though I'd just wished to forget when I'd still been human.

The saying: _be careful what you wish for_ had a scary truth to it.

I didn't pay much attention to what I put on once my skin was dry. I wrapped my ruined tank top up in the towel I'd used and tossed it into a corner of the room once they both had been dropped in the plastic bag from the trash can. I'd have to replace the liner tomorrow, but it wasn't high on the list of things to do. Not when I had no idea when I would be checking out of this hole in the wall.

Plopping down on the edge of the bed, I just sighed and let my head fall back as my eyes closed. I'd actually done it. That was the part I just couldn't believe. I'd _actually_ taken another person's life and there wasn't a single part of me that felt grief.

_He deserved it._ The monster I shared a body with crooned in my mental ear. _He was the final straw, you know that. Just think of what he could've done if...._

If.

My stomach clenched so violently that I was sure I would've thrown up all over myself if I were still human. What _would_ have happened if I stayed with Jason? If our daughter grew up and his friends began targeting her? Granted, it was probably too late to start thinking of all that. But I now knew how Esme had felt. She gave birth right before Carlisle had found her. She'd told me that right after I learned of having my own daughter. Her little boy had only survived the first few days of his life before passing away. The agony of burying him had propelled Esme into taking her own life, but she only ended up falling into the arms of Carlisle Cullen. In their human lives, none of them had been able to achieve their happily ever afters. That only came to them in their vampiric existances. Carlisle had only hoped for the kind of love he found with Esme. Esme had been searching for it long before her heart stopped.

Thinking about the love between my vampiric mother and father hurt almost as much as thinking of Edward did. I hadn't thought I would miss them as much as I did. Or make so many comparisons.

A low groan filtered past my lips as I sank sideways on the bed, my legs curling up toward my chest as my thoughts continued to run rampant. Why had I decided to leave again? Yeah, because I wanted to come here and find answers. But now that I was thinking as logically as possible, what had made me decide against asking one of my family members to come with me? The answer was suddenly staring me in the face with it's hand raised, ready to slap me silly.

I didn't want to pull my family apart. There were probably a few members, like Alice or Esme, that were furious with me leaving. Even if they would never admit it, I would always know better. Plus, how could I impose on them so much that I took them from their soulmate? Edward was the only one who wouldn't leave a lover behind, but I'd been trying to get away from him. At the time, it was just too hard to be around him, knowing there was a strong possibility that the crazy dance we'd become entangled in would pop back up. And that was something I didn't want, I was sick of rotating in proverbial circles with him.

There was also another reason now facing me; I could've never killed Dylan Moreno if one of them had been with me. The revenge I was suddenly so bent on seeking would have been ruined by their presence. I wasn't entirely sure they would have stopped me, but they would have encouraged another path. Another means of achieving what I wanted. There was no room for compromise in me anymore. I was sick of doing what everyone else wanted.

But still. It hurt to be so alone. I'd become too stubborn to admit that I needed my family.

I lost track of time as I lay there, letting misery and grief swallow me whole. I was constantly walking away from things and I had no idea how to stop that. How do you break your worst habit in the blink of an eye? There's no possible way, not without a long amount of time trying.

My hand twitched against my stomach, wanting to stretch toward the phone I'd destroyed earlier in the day. That'd been a stupid thing to do, I was just surprised it came back to bite me in the ass so soon. And there was no way I could get out and obtain a new phone. I hadn't salvaged anything from the device, even though the numbers programmed in were already burned into my unforgetting mind. I just wanted to hear their voices right then, to listen to them talk. I'd never thought I would crave a simple conversation as much as I did right then.

Hell, I'd take sitting on the couch with Edward in tense silence over what I felt now. But that big, brick wall was standing right in my way. The monster trying to control me seemed to be leaning against that same wall. She wanted the revenge I'd put into motion earlier by killing Dylan.

I lurched to my feet blindingly fast, grabbing my jacket and room key. I'd only bothered with shoes, easily feeling the denim of the jeans I'd thrown on after my shower. A plain tee shirt was hidden once I had the jacket on, but I didn't really care if anyone was going to look at me. I had to do something. I _had_ to get out of this damn hotel room. I would end up driving myself nuts if I kept this up.

Once I left the hotel room, I just began walking. I'd glanced at the clock before leaving, noting the time as about two hours from dawn. I'd have to be back inside then. As I walked, I began to wonder when the authorities would find Dylan's body. Maybe it would be the guy that ran the dumptruck scheduled to pick up trash from the location where I'd dumped him. Ha, that'd be quite a surprise!

The tiny voice in the back of my head thrilled at all the possible ways Dylan would be discovered. What would they think when he was found? How would Jason react when he learned the news of his best friend's strange death? And it would most certainly be cited as a murder. I'd slit his throat, after all. Of course, that was just to disguize the big gapping hole my teeth had left but still. There was no way anyone could be talked into Dylan committing suicide. Not after all the damage I'd inflicted.

Maybe it would just be chalked up to another random mugging. The police wouldn't find any of my DNA or fingerprints on the body, they wouldn't find his wallet either. I wanted him to be found and named 'John Doe'. It felt oddly fitting to me, especially given how I'd woken up to this new life. I hadn't had a name either when I died. Dylan Moreno wouldn't get one either. Not until someone recognized his autopsy photo and identified him.

I had plenty of time to wait for the fallout. Piper North was still missing, but pressumed dead. The search for me had been given up when Jason left Hanover and came back to Valdosta.

I eventually realized where I was and frowned as I came to a stop in a vaguely familiar residental area. I glanced to my right and felt air stick in my throat. I'd ended up right outside my parents' house. Without any thought or compliance between my mind and body; I streaked across the lawn and darted around to the backyard.

The house I'd grown up in was nothing special. If my memory was right, the house had belonged to my grandparents. When my father married my mother, the house had been given to them and my grandparents moved to Florida. I couldn't understand the attraction or desire for old people to relocate there, but that was what Matt and Patricia Reaves had done. The house was brick, a faded brown as a result of too much sun exposure. The lawn was kept clean by my father, the only domestic thing he did for my mother. The fake shutters that capped the large window in front, as well as a couple in the back, were painted white to offset the bricks. But even that color had faded with sun exposure and neglect. It was one story, so I wouldn't have to worry about detection while I scaled a second story window.

Just like it had in my childhood, the window that was once mine had been left open. There was such a wide arsenal of guns within the house that Bill Reaves would probably beg people to break in; just so he could pop off a round or two justifiably. I pushed the window easily, smiling in relief when it didn't groan or creak under my minstrations. I slipped silently into the room, which was now bare and unfurnished. They'd erased all traces of me when I moved out at the age of sixteen.

The only thing I remembered about the day I got married was that I was legally an emancipated minor. My parents no longer wanted me around, the burden they never could get rid of. But that was only because my mother had refused to have an abortion. Alicia Reaves believed having a baby would hopefully stop the violence her husband subjected her to on sporadic occasions. It wasn't until _after_ I was born that things got so much worse for her, then eventually me.

As I walked through the narrow hallway that led me to their bedroom, I felt an old familiar tightening in the muscles of my back. My body was drawing on old postures that I'd thought I would never need once leaving my family home. But it all came rushing back to me as I slowly made my way through the house. All the beatings I'd watched my mother endure, all the funiture he'd upend when it wasn't in the positioning he wanted. I even stopped by the bathroom door when one particular memory gripped me.

It'd been in the spot I was standing in now that my father had hit me for the very first time. I was in charge of drawing my own bath that night, but I'd gotten distracted. I was only six at the time and my parents feared I had ADD. Ha, I just had a low tolerance for candy bars. Something I learned at school, through a friend. But I'd left the water running in the tub, gone to get something else. By the time I got back to the bathroom, the bathtub was overflowing and coating the tiled floor with water.

I glanced over my shoulder, toward the kitchen area, as I remembered Bill Reaves charging down the hallway toward me. I hadn't had enough sense to hide from him, I'd been pretty confident with the idea that he'd never raise his hand to me. He was always so doting with me during the first six years of my life. I was his little princess.

All of that ended that night, over ten years ago. Bill Reaves caught me by the neck, picked my six-year-old little body up and threw me into the tub, screaming the entire time about how stupid I was and that I was ruining the house he worked so hard to keep in order. It took two weeks for the bruises on my arms and legs to completely fade.

I forced myself to go on once the memory came to it's conclusion. I reflected on the time I'd spent crying and being taunted at school for showing up with bruises as I slipped into my parents' bedroom. They were laying side by side in bed, Alicia curled into herself with her back facing Bill. He was stretched out in the bed, taking up a majority of the king-sized mattress. Alicia had barely a foot of bed to lay on, she was so close to the edge.

A million different senarios ran through my mind as I watched them sleep. The low thuds of their pulses ignited my thirst, just like I thought it would. But I managed to surpress it by cutting off oxygen to my lungs. I didn't dare breathe as I stopped at the foot of the bed and stared at them curiously. What would my mother do if she woke to find her husband's dead body still laying beside her? Would she feel relief? Would she be glad that the brutality was finally over?

I crossed the bed to her side and frowned at what the light reflected back to me. Fresh bruises on her wrists and one shadowing the underside of her right eye. She couldn't lay on that side, not with her face pressing into the pillow. The bruise was too deep, I could tell that just by looking.

"Oh Mama," I breathed and silently dropped to my knees. I'd always thought she was a strong person. She had to be as Bill Reaves' wife. But now my mother just looked frail and defeated. She'd been broken by the man laying next to her. Losing him would only kill her, she couldn't survive without him and his abusive love anymore.

I turned and walked out of the room before I could lose my resolve. I'd long ago let go of the pain my parents had inflicted on me. My revenge didn't lie with them, they'd been saints compared to the world that surrounded me when I married Jason and concieved his child. Only those in that world would see me again for the last time. The day I got married was the day Bill and Alicia Reaves no longer considered themselves parents.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Three chapters in two days! Things are going to start picking up very quickly from here, so I apologize now for length on future chapters. This one is kind of tame with a (hopefully) good surprise at the end._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Five:**

The sun was shining brightly outside, forcing me to stay indoors where I was safe and concealed. It'd been a week since Dylan Moreno had died.

In that time, I'd decided to lay low. I didn't want anyone to remember the mysterious girl that had approached him the night of his death. I didn't know the guys he'd been with when I found him, but I didn't figure they knew who I was. No one had made any indication to support that. I'd merely been some girl they would assume had been attracted to Dylan.

And I'd been attracted. But not in the way they figured. Dylan's physical appearance had done nothing for me, I'd known him for too long. Seeing the true side of his personality, the utter brutality he was prone to shattered any warm and fuzzies I might have carried for that person.

So when I stumbled on the morning news, I wasn't surprised when they showed a brief story concerning the discovery of his body.

"As we reported two days ago, there are still no leads in the case of a body found in a dumpster in downtown Valdosta." The anchorwoman droned on, obviously reading from a teleprompter. Her counterpart, a balding man in his early fifties didn't look all too enthusiastic either. I'd been right when I figured another body appearing in that part of town wouldn't be exciting news. "No one has come forward to identify the body, who police believe to be in his early twenties. All signs indicate a mugging gone horribly wrong, police finding no wallet or cell phone on the body. The only thing they have to go on is the way which he was murdered. His body is still being held in the morgue in hopes of being identified, but it's possible the body will be buried by the city as John Doe."

Hmmm, maybe Jason couldn't be bothered by the death of his closest friend. It chilled me to remember that he was one of the last men I'd had sex with. Providing it's considered sex when the female party was as unwilling as I was. I was just thankful there was no police documentation on that. By that time, I'd already learned that going to the police would just make things more difficult for me in the end. It didn't really surprise me to learn the police force was still just as useless now as they had been while I was still human and submerged in hell on earth.

I turned the TV off and flicked the remote aside, briefly glancing to watch the black device hit the edge of the bed. Good, I hadn't broken it. How would I explain that to the hotel management? Oops, sorry I broke the remote. You see, I'm a newborn vampire, I know not my own strength?

Yeah, that'd go over real well. I'd be in a padded room before human fingers could be snapped.

I frowned as I looked around the room, television forgotten for the time being. There was still nothing new on Dylan's murder, he still wasn't claimed and I was in the clear. For now, at least. I'd be gone before they ever realized my part it in. Or at least, I hoped that was how things would turn out.

Vaulting off the bed, I just sighed and crossed the room to the small duffel I kept beside the TV. There were a few books inside, along with my iPod and headphones. The iPod was one of the last gifts I'd accepted from the Cullens. Alice specifically. She hadn't really been surprised when she realized I had a zeal for music that almost matched her brother's. In the first few months of my new life, Edward and I had traded so much new music that getting me an iPod was just a logical choice. The stereo I'd accepted in that first month could only play one CD at a time and my moods had been so fickle then that I'd spent more time changing CDs than I had actually listening to them.

Grabbing the silver music player and white, matching earbuds, I carried them over to the bed and plopped back. Once the earbuds were in place, I switched the device on and sighed as music quickly filled my ears. Edward had filled it with music for me, probably unwillingly. Or willingly. I still couldn't be sure. But all of my favorites had been loaded in, as well as a few of his. The only way he could get me to listen to his music, I noted with a wry grin as the song reached the first chorus.

Not wanting to listen to the current song, I lifted my head long enough to flip through until I found something that seemed to fit the mood I'd sunken into. Of course, one of Edward's choices. I glanced at the song title then frowned and let my head fall back onto the mattress. Even though there were few songs I could stand from his collection, I still couldn't bring myself to change the song. The haunting melody drew me in effortlessly, causing my eyes to close as I dived into the memories it resurrected. The first time I'd heard this song had been when I burst in on him doing homework for the first time.

The memory of seeing him seated on the wide, leather couch in his room was never going to leave me. I remembered every single detail of that day with perfect clarity. The way the book lay on the couch beside him, the notebook he had propped against one raised knee. He'd worn jeans and a green button-down to school that day and hadn't bothered to change into something more comfortable as he completed the nessessary assignments. His hand flew across the pristine, white page so fluidly that I'd wondered how many times he'd studied that particular lesson. His hair was as tousled as it always was, hanging over his forehead and into his eyes as he bent over the notepad.

A peculiar flood of warmth slid through my insides as I fell further into the memory. His tongue had protruded slightly past his lips as he worked in deep concentration. He hadn't looked up yet to see who interrupted him, so lost in the assignment. His lips curled back slightly against his perfect teeth as he flipped the page and continued writing. That was the first time I thought about kissing him. Even laying here, recalling everything as I was, I felt the same way I had in his bedroom that day. The urge to just rush over and cover his lips with mine had been overpowering. That was the first true glimpse I got into just how deeply my physical attraction to him went.

"Ugh!" I blurted out and wrenched my eyes open when the daydreaming nearly ran wild. My thumb flickered over the button to skip the song as I forced my mind to stop. What good would it do to torment myself with such desires? Why did Ihave to lay here and think about his body covering mine, hands and lips claiming as much of my skin as they could find?

My head jerked to the side and my eyes slid closed as my thoughts trudged on, reliving the last day I'd spent with the Cullens'. The day Edward had burst into my room and kissed me for the first time. I hadn't been able to stop him and by the time he had me trapped beneath him on the bed, I'd been ready to surrender all control. I _wanted_ him to kiss me. I'd wanted him to abandon all restraint and just _take_ what he wanted, knowing I would give him anything willingly.

But he hadn't. I'd been the one to pull away, which still surprised me. _I'd_ been the one to remember the circumstances and push him away. I still believed in everything I told him that night. I didn't want to be a way for him to convince himself he was over the human girl he'd left behind. I couldn't be her and I refused to even attempt it. I was fighting with the memory of someone I'd never even met and I was sick of it. Edward hadn't needed to confirm my theory for it to be true. I knew better, I knew him well enough to trace the origin of his motives. Yeah, I'd wanted to let myself get lost in him, and him in me. But what would it have changed? What good would it have done for us to simply act without thinking when, eventually, everything would catch back up with us?

I still wasn't sure I would've been able to handle the possible reprocussions of having sex with Edward Cullen. Oh yeah, I knew all about vampire sex. Thanks in large part to Rosalie. That was probably the longest conversation we'd ever had, and it had happened because she wanted to be the one to break the news to me. I'd been raped one last time by Jason and she wanted to be the one to remind me. All because she'd suffered a very similar fate to mine. But she admitted that she hadn't been in as deep as I'd been, something she was grateful for. I didn't mind her confession on that. I was grateful she hadn't suffered as I had at the hands of her fiance. She'd had her own version of hell the night she died. But for her, it had all worked out. For the most part. She would never grow old, never change or have babies with Emmett. But she had the love she'd wanted to exist with her human fiance. She got at least half of her fairytale. I only had the brutal version of mine to deal with. Not to mention the million or so 'what if's that coincided with me walking away from a possible happy ending. But, she amended once her story had been told, she had been able to erase the memories of her first, human, sexual experience with a million or so vampiric episodes with a man that truly loved and worshiped her. Something she knew I would have once I'd healed enough to let myself search for my missing other half.

I'd been a coward when I left the Cullens, at least in some part. I hadn't even said goodbye to Edward, not wanting that kind of heartache. He'd been the one to leave first, I tried to reason with myself. I didn't stick around long enough to find out where he'd gone after leaving my room, I didn't want to know. And now there was no way I could call him and ask. Besides, what business was it of mine? I'd practically driven him from the room. I had no right to want to ask the questions now marching through my mind.

Giving up on the idea of music, I stowed the iPod back in my bag and bit down on my lower lip as I turned in search of something else to do. The sun was still out, it wasn't even noon yet. So I was stuck indoors. I'd run out of possible distractions so quickly that I tried to think of how I could obtain more once it was dark.

So of course, right then a knock sounded at the door. Crisis averted, distraction provided.

I frowned and crossed the room in two long strides, peeking through the eyehole on the door to see who stood on the other side. Whoever it was, they were concealed with dark clothes, a hood drawn over their head. That just sent me into an even bigger panic. Why would someone knock on a door with their entire body concealed?

But then the answer hit me full-force, square in the chest. Only a vampire would conceal themselves so absolutely during this time of day.

"Who are you?" I asked through the door, figuring if I was staring at a vampire, they'd easily be able to hear me.

"Just let me in." The voice responded with a hint of irritiation in their voice.

The warmth I felt just minutes before was back, and much stronger than it'd been. Edward Cullen was standing on the other side of my door, hidden beneath layers of dark clothes so the sun couldn't touch his skin and reveal him for what he was.

I didn't think as I wrenched the door open, hiding behind it so the light couldn't touch me. I was still dressed in a pair of track shorts and tank top, most of my body exposed and bare.

The figure...Edward, crossed the threshold in a flurry of movement. I closed the door behind him and turned to lean against it. I suddenly needed the support of a plank of wood to keep me upright.

Edward stopped just a foot in front of me and dispatched the hoodie he'd thrown on to hide himself. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched it fall effortlessly onto the table by the door then looked up at him again in muted amazement.

"What're you _doing_ here?!" I hissed, easily concealing the shock I felt at hearing anger in my voice. I'd just been thinking of him and now, lo and behold, here he was! Stuff like this just did not happen to me.

"I was sick of waiting for you to come home." Every single word rang truth as they hit me with calculated percision. "So I decided it was time to bring you back. Kicking and screaming if I have to."


	6. Chapter 6

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE**__: Twilight's officially out on DVD now so I wanted to get this chapter cranked out for you guys in celebration! Thanks so much for the reviews, I love reading each and every one. I'm thinking about possibly writing another story as I write this one, just because there are times when I want to delve into a AH kind of world involving the Cullens. But it's just a thought, something I think about when coming off a burst of 'Maybe Tomorrow' creativity. Anyway, here it is! Let me know what you guys think._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Six:**

"For the last time, I'm not going back!" I nearly shouted as I whirled around to face Edward yet again. We'd been having the exact same arguement for nearly thirty minutes. Not how I'd planned on keeping the boredom at bay.

Edward frowned from his place in the chair beside the door. He looked so relaxed, slouched down in the seat with one ankle thrown over the other thigh. His elbow dug into the armrest slightly with his jaw supported by long fingers. The expression on his face was what angered me the most; mild amusement as if he were facing off with a disaggreable child.

I'll give him disaggreable child.

"I told you already, Piper. I'm not going back to Hanover without you. Non-negotiable."

I tried to supress the groan that built up in my chest, but was unsuccessful as I turned and pitched back onto the bed. My legs dangled off the edge, my hands hitting my stomach with a muted thud as I forced my eyes shut. Looking at him was _not_ a good idea. It would just give him more leverage against me. He didn't need anymore of that, bastard was cocky enough as it was.

"Again, _why are you here_?!" I seethed, only allowing my lips to move as anger flowed through me yet again. I was bound and determined to get an answer out of him. Otherwise I was about to bodily throw him out of the room. I just hadn't decided yet if I was letting him have the sweatshirt he wore to conceal himself.

"Because Alice told me what she saw you doing." He finally answered and I sat upright when the amusement finally left his voice and features.

Damn, I'd completely forgotten all about my omniscient sister. I was surprised she hadn't come with him. Family recon mission, anyone?

"What _exactly_ has she seen?" I hedged, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable as I sat up. Curling my legs underneath me, I rested my forearms on my thighs and stared at my intruder of sorts with an irritated expression that wasn't completely false. Last thing I needed was a lecture from Edward, of all people. Pot calling the kettle black suddenly slithered across my mind.

"You don't need to play dumb." Edward revealed and a small smile pulled the corners of his lips up. "I'm in no position to berate you for it. None of us are. But if you think we're not worried about you, you're wrong."

He was telling the truth, my mind registered that just seconds after my ears transcribed the words. I frowned instantly and vaulted off the bed, walking further into the room. Distance was needed, but there wasn't enough in this suddenly cramped room. "I'm fine, I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Thankfully he stayed seated as he continued to interrogate me. Or at least, that's how it felt. "Do you realize how slippery the slope you're on is? Piper, we're not designed to resist human blood. Do I need to remind you of Jasper and how he struggles?"

"I'm not struggling!" I nearly exploded in anger as I forgot all about distance and threw myself across the room toward him. My hands fell onto the armrests beside him, my face stopping an inch away from his. "The only human blood I've tasted so far has been one person's. And trust me, he deserved it. Don't you remember all the time you spent ridding the world of evil human beings? I did a lot of women a favor that night by killing that guy."

"Why did you kill him?" He asked and I suddenly felt the familiar prickling that signaled Edward trying to get into my head.

"Stop." I growled, throwing my mental wall down so tightly and quickly that surprise momentarily registered on Edward's perfect features. "You have _no right_ in my head. You promised."

"I did." He conceeded and glanced down at my hands. I looked down too and frowned when I felt the wood beginning to give way under my fingers.

Pushing away angrily, I exhaled a low breath of air and crossed my arms tightly across the front of my tank top. "What business is this of yours, Edward? _You_ ditched _me_, remember?"

That simple statement finally triggered a physical reaction from the immoble stone Edward had become. He was on his feet and had me by the shoulders quicker than quick, causing electric sparks to ignite beneath my skin. "I didn't." He sounded nearly breathless as he spoke, frowning when I began to struggle out of his hold. That just caused his hands to tighten, which pissed me off even further.

"Let _go_." I shouted and drove both hands into his chest. I winced when he flew backward, but because he hadn't let me go yet, I went with him. It sounded like a mini-rock slide was happening in my room as he bounced off the door and I bounced off him. My legs tangled with his as we connected and I would've gone down if he hadn't released me to wrap his arms around my waist. Quickly regaining my footing, I looked up and started trying to wiggle away again once I saw the look on his face.

Pure amusement at having me clutched so tightly against his body.

Another low growl passed my lips and I started wiggling more, concentrating on the part of my body that was against his lower anatomy. Surely if I excited him enough, he'd be forced to let me go and preserve the careful boundaries that were always around us. All because of his love for another woman.

But just like so many times before, I was _wrong_. With a capital W and RONG.

The grin on his face faltered for a brief second then turned lopsided as his arms tightened against the small of my back. "That's not going to get me to let go of you, Piper. You're just going to start something I doubt you'll want to finish."

Oh for the love of all things holy! I briefly considered drawing my knee up and catching him right in the balls, but pushed the thought away. For one, I couldn't lift my leg. He'd trapped the knee I needed between his to render me even more powerless against him. "Jerk." I hissed and struggled against him a little more. Nothing happened. I just felt him grow even more aroused against my hip.

"Look, don't make me hurt you." I blurted out and stopped moving all together. "Just let me go, please?"

"Not until you answer my question." He threw back, his arms tightening discreetly against my back. "Why did you kill that boy?"

I frowned and huffed out a low breath of air I didn't need. I could tell by his stance, the muscles stressed tightly against my granite skin would not ease until I did as he asked. "Because he helped Jason rip my life apart. The night I found out I was pregnant, Jason gave me to him to repay some debt. He'd wanted me for a long time, I'd always known that. But I _never_ thought Jason would let someone else have me. He raped me then went and laughed with Jason about how horrible I was in bed. _That's_ why he died, I'm not letting any of them continue to disease the world."

"Piper." Edward sighed and stared intently into my eyes. I couldn't even begin to figure out what he was thinking by the expression on his face, but I found something there that I just did not want to see. My stomach clenched involuntarily, or at least it felt that way and I struggled against him. This time, he miraculously let me go.

I stumbled backward a few steps and held a hand up warningly. "Don't." I hissed and stared up at him, seeing my reflection clearly in his darkening eyes. My face was wild and open, pain etched in every single line and frozen pore on my face. "Don't stand there and look at me like that, Edward. I don't want your pity. I'm not some random victim you've stumbled across."

"I don't see you as a victim." The words expelled from his lips in a quiet burst of sound. Again, he was telling the truth. That brought me up short. I'd all but convinced myself of how Edward saw me. I was just another broken human that had been saved by a compassionate vampire. "I've never seen you as a victim. Not the way you think I have. And I don't think you're as hideously broken as you want to believe."

I felt the mental tug as he gained access to my thoughts. This time I didn't even try to fight him. There was no use, everything I wanted to say...he could pick it clearly from my thoughts if he wanted. It would just save me the trouble of verbally telling him.

I flinched involuntarily when he took a step toward me, angling my body back toward the bathroom as he stopped and lightly gripped my shoulders again. "You're still confusing me and I don't like it." I whispered without thinking, not letting myself look up into his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He breathed again, his breath flowing across my face. That caused me to look up at him and the electric heat his touch inspired only intensifed by the burning force of his eyes. It was almost as if he was trying to return the favor, letting me see everything he was thinking by simply staring into his expressive eyes. This was the first time I'd ever looked into the pooling irises and found myself thinking I could peer straight into his soul if I wanted. "I have a lot to apologize for when it comes to you. But I never wanted things to be as strained between us. You don't deserve to have one more person in your life, hurting you."

"You haven't." I blurted out suddenly, dumbly. The pain Edward caused compared to the pain Jason had inflicted didn't even register on the grand scale. If I was being honest with myself, Edward's mere presence had helped heal some of the wounds I'd carried into this life.

"I appreciate you saying that, but I have." He responded calmly, patiently. Apparently he was remembering something that I couldn't. All I could really do was just stare up at him, my thoughts practically begging him to go on. How could he _possibly _think that I'd added him to the list of people that'd hurt me?

A soft sigh broke through the air, his breath carressing my face once more before he dropped my arms, turned and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I tried...so hard to stay away from you when you first joined our family. I didn't want you to get attached to me, I didn't want the reminders you unknowingly conjured by your mere presence. I never actively tried to liken you to Bella but...I did. I couldn't help it. That's how I hurt you, I made you feel like you had to live up to someone you've never even met. Then I did the unspeakable."

"Stop." I broke in roughly, wincing at how unstable my voice sounded. "I can't go there right now, Edward. Just...stop."

He sighed again as his chin fell toward his chest. The stone organ serving as my heart felt even heavier as I stood there, staring at him. I'd never seen someone look as defeated as Edward suddenly looked right then. _I'd_ always been the broken one, but maybe that made it easier for me t recognize the signs. Without really thinking about it, I sighed too and eased onto the bed beside him. My hand slid over his bare arm before gently diving between his clenched hands.

"You know, one of the first things I ever learned about you...I didn't believe it at first. Alice tried to talk to me about you at first, to explain your actions. She didn't want me to take your cold indifference personally, that you'd been like that with...her too. But the more I watched you, the more I realized how right your family is about you. You punish yourself way too much. You punish yourself over things that aren't entirely in your control. I know you still blame yourself for everything that happened with Bella. I _know_ that you still loathe yourself for leaving her, but why? What do you possibly have to gain by doing that?"

When my voice trailed off, I fully expected no answer from Edward. Even if I had, what could I possibly think he would say? But he surprised me, yet again. Clearing his throat quietly, he shifted slightly to face me more and glanced down at our clasped hands. "Because I don't deserve have of the things that have happened to me."

"Oh that's bull." I shot up suddenly, my face twisting with unexpected disgust as I kept my back to him. I'd been right in one of my first thoughts about Edward Cullen. There was a part of him, only I didn't know how big it'd been at the time, that was just as broken as I'd been when my heart stopped. It was always the broken souls that noticed their fallen comrades.

"Excuse me?" I turned around quickly and jumped visibly when he was suddenly back on his feet and staring down at me. I didn't know it was possible, but his eyes were even darker now in anger, the lines and sharp curves of his expression stressed in anger.

"You heard me!" I threw back the words as if they were knives, all aimed directly at him as our eyes held. "You...you think you're some kind of monster and yeah, in one way you are. But look at everything you've done since then. You've told me before that you don't believe we have a soul, that we lose all of our humanity once we cross over into this. Well I think that's crap too." As soon as the words passed my lips, I knew that I was on to something. Not thinking, I reached out and grabbed his hand before quickly pulling it up to my chest. "I know it's been a really long time since you were human, and I may not remember every single day of my human life, but I know a few things. Both about humans and about vampires. Good and evil exists in both. You've got your good-natured, warm-blooded beings that fill their days with selfless deads and trying to make the world a better place. But you've also got the terrors that do everything in their power to rip those good people to shreds. Why can't that exist in the vampire world as well? Why are you so against the idea of good vampires when you believe in good and evil humans?"

The question hung in the air for what felt like an eternity. Neither of us speaking, neither knowing exactly what to say. Thoughts kept marching shamelessly through my head, mental images being processed into words that wanted desperately to be spoken. But one look into Edward's eyes and I stayed silent. How could I keep going, with that look on his face? Why was I standing there trying to convince him of something he was desperate to disbelieve? More importantly, _why_ was I wasting time trying to change the way he saw himself?

After all, I'd left Hanover in a desperate attempt to cut him from underneath my skin.


	7. Chapter 7

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Another chapter! When I set out to write this one, I honestly didn't think I would end up writing a chapter like this. But! I did. So warning you now, another one that earns this story the M rating. There's a reason I'm throwing this in so early, I promise. Please, just bare with me and don't be afraid to tell me what you guys think! I thrive on y'all's responses more than I can say._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Seven:**

If I'd thought being around Edward was going to get easier, I'd of been wrong.

He'd been in Valdosta for three days and I could tell it was starting to get to him. Neither one of us were backing down from our objectives, no middle ground presenting itself. He was still hell-bent on me coming home with him, I was determined to finish what I'd started.

Dylan's body had finally been identified and the people he'd surrounded himself with were starting to ask questions. My presence had been uncovered, in a round-about sort of way. The only new development in his disappearance was the mysterious girl he'd been talking to shortly before he died.

Me. The monster that had delievered him to an untimely demise.

"What're you going do do now?" Edward's quiet voice pulled me from the thoughts swirling in my head and I looked up at him in confusion. He settled easily onto the bed beside me and shifted my focus from the journal in my lap, to his tensed posture.

"I don't know." I sighed with an uneven shrug of my shoulders. Killing Dylan had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, a way to spark fear in those that knew him and what he was capable of. Namely Jason. My thoughts had been centering around him more than I wanted.

A small frown settled onto his features as he shifted and leaned against the headboard behind us. My first instinct was to lean back and try to curl up against him. It was an impulse desire, one I couldn't let myself act on. Things were still so confusing and unclear between us that I wasn't about to start sending him mixed signals. Even though we'd talked a little about what had happened before I left, I still had him at a safe distance. He may have been serious about no longer trying to compare me to Bella, but I was still wary. A habit like that, from my experience, was extremely difficult to break.

My eyes stayed locked on him for a few more seconds then I finally looked away with a small frown settling on my lips. While there was something about his presence that was as soothing as Jasper's manipulations, there was still an unshakable charge to the air whenever he was around. I couldn't overlook it anymore and I had to wonder if he could to. How could he _possibly _just sit there as calm and detached as he seemed to?

What did he think of me, now that I'd broken down enough to taste human blood? It was still pretty easy for me to abstain, something I was extremely grateful and relieved in finding. We'd ventured outside the hotel together only once, and I had been able to stay calm and relaxed among the human population. But I still felt that driving force, the all-out need to finish what I'd started in killing Dylan. I needed closure, I just had no idea how to go about doing that now. Now that Edward had swooped in to try and stop me.

"I still say you should just come back to Hanover with me." He announced suddenly and I immediately wanted to throw the book in my hands at him. It wouldn't do any damage, but it would make me feel a little bit better about unleashing some pent-up anger.

"Yeah, well." I raked a hand through my unruly hair and scowled at him over my shoulder. "Good luck with that." Closing the book in my lap, I hugged it to my chest and easily flipped off the bed. The journal was safely tucked into my bag just seconds before I turned and jumped in surprise.

Edward stood not two feet away from me, his arms tucked angrily across his chest. "Why are you so set on staying here? Piper, exacting revenge isn't going to make the rest of eternity any easier on you. You're just going to be carrying these deaths with you."

"Don't start on me." I nearly growled and crossed my own arms across the front of the white beater covering my uppe body. We were both simply dressed in what could only be described as loungewear. We couldn't really go anywhere since the sun was still shining very brightly outside. My resolve was crumbling, at least in one area, another chink appeared when I allowed myself to glance down at the stressed, pale blue cotton of the tee shirt he'd pulled on over his jeans. He looked so perfect in every single thing he wore, but this was the first time since his reappearance that his clothes were giving any hints to the body underneath. The body I desperately wanted to see again, to see more of now that I'd gotten that first, tempting glance so many months before. But I couldn't let myself go there, there was still too much between us being left unresolved.

Still, I'd never had to resist someone as much as I did with Edward Cullen. No amount of time was going to assauge my intense attraction to him.

"I'm going to start." He challenged and moved even closer to me. The breath I held in my lungs caught up in my throat as he leaned me back against the dresser behind me, trapping my hips against his as he reached out to grip the low counter. It would be so easy to just reach out, grab the back of his neck, and pull him down to me. "I know you want answers, Piper. Trust me, I know. But everyone misses you and I know you miss them too."

"I do." I sighed and my eyes slid closed as his breath flowed across my face. He was _so close_, effortlessly pulling me in when all I wanted was distance. He was still in love with Bella, the human woman I'd never met still held every single piece of his immortal heart there was to capture. I couldn't and didn't want to compete with that, even if I did miraciously gain the information that he wanted me to. "But I started something here, I can't let them get away with what they did to me."

"I'm not saying you should." If it were possible, he drew even closer to me as he spoke. His eyes darkened to the point of almost black as they scorched into my still-bloody eyes. My last meal had been Dylan's blood, I had no idea when Edward had last fed. But judging by eyecolor, sometime before he decided to come "rescue" me. "I'm just saying there has to be a better way of doing so. A way that doesn't rip you apart."

"Well if we're going by your believe system, I have nothing left to rip apart." I shot back hotly and yanked my arms back even tighter against my chest as my back bowed slightly under his intruding stance.

That did the trick. Pushing away from the dresser angrily, I could only stand in shock as he pivoted away from me and stalked over to the side of the bed he'd claimed. Well, the side of the bed his stuff had claimed anyway. From where I stood, I could see the glint of his iPod in the brightly lit room, a book resting beside it with his cell phone. He'd come prepared, surprising me when he left long enough to retrieve a bag from his shiny Mustang. "I honestly don't know why I bother sometimes."

"Why do you?" I asked before I could really stop myself. While I couldn't will myself into moving, my voice had no problems. "Why are you still here, Edward? It's not like you really _want_ to be here. You're supposed to still hate my existance, remember?"

My words just angered him even more and he was back in my face before I could notice the mental tug of his mind in mine. "Because I want you with me, Piper." He spoke so quietly, but with so much conviction that a small part of me suddenly began to believe him. My own weird quirk picked up on the truth in his statement, surprising me further as he went on. "Our _family_ wants you with us. You're a Cullen now, you're apart of something. All you have to do is stop being so damn stubborn and reclaim it."

"And what?" I blurted out and looked up at him in confusion. "Just sit by and watch all the perfectly matched couples in our family, hoping I someday get to find that? Keep my mouth shut as you go on as you have been, mourning a lost love and torturing yourself for something you can't change? Sorry, doesn't sound like my ideal way to spend eternity. I'm too broken, Edward. I'm too cynical to believe that a happily ever after is going to find me after all this time."

"No." He sighed and hung his head, igniting the temptation to pull his lips to mine yet again. He was even closer now, with his chin tucking toward his chest as he leaned over me. His hands were once again gripping the dresser, his wrists just shy of my barely-clothed hips. "You're too stubborn to see what's standing right in front of you. Instead of doing that, you're chasing the demons from your past. You're ripping old wounds wide open and emersing yourself in it."

"And you haven't been doing that all along?" I whispered and winced at how childish and constricted my voice sounded against his powerful growl. "Edward, we're running in circles here. Nothing good will come of me coming back with you. Jason will keep tormenting people and I'll still feel the way I do right now. You said it yourself, we're frozen in the bodies, emotions and mentalities we had when we died. I still have no idea what kind of mentality I have to live with. I can't control my emotions as well as you can, no matter how much time I'm going to have to try and perfect it. I'm trying to fix myself the best way I can."

"You're not." He announced again and locked my eyes mercilessly in his. The power he suddenly had over me was stifling, I was immobile against him. He could do whatever he wanted with me right then and I wasn't sure I'd lift a finger to stop him. Even though I was stronger than he was, however fleeting that would end up being. I felt like a weak human compared to him right then. "You could let yourself be loved and cared about by the people that consider you family. People that would do absolutely anything for you and ask for nothing but a smile on your face in return. You could let them fill you with memories that are so much sharper, so much more vivid than the ones your mind's held onto from your human life. You could...."

As soon as he trailed off, my eyebrow raised delicately against my forehead. Edward never trailed off unless someone broke in to say the exact thing he'd just been about to. I could see the struggle in his eyes very clearly as I watched him, my arms falling to my sides as my fingers unconsciously circled his wrists. "I could what?"

The atmosphere around us changed so swiftly that I had to play catch-up for the first time. His body shifted ever so slightly in front of me then I was leaning back against the dresser more noticably than before. His chest crushed against mine as his lips covered mine roughly. A surprised gasp broke through my parted lips and my body acted on it's own will. I lifted my arms and wrapped them tightly around his neck, one hand burying in the back of his hair as he moved an arm and curled it tightly against the small of my back. I was crushed even tighter against him as his lips captured my lower lip and dragged it between his teeth. The small nip from his teeth against my skin sent shivers flurrying down my spine and my hand in his hair tightened noticably around the bronze locks.

I had no warning, no sense of foreshadowing when I was suddenly lifted off my feet and set on the dresser. Edward curled against me even more with the new position and my traiterous legs wound around his hips, pulling him even closer to me as our tongues met and began to duel for space in my mouth. My chest tightened slightly with lack of oxygen, but it was an uncomfortability I found I could deal with. Kissing him, being this close to him overshadowed any discomfort that might present itself within me.

Reality came crashing back as soon as his lips left mine and began to slide down the curve of my throat. We shouldn't be doing this, kissing each other like this was just going to complicate things even further. I _would not_ let him use me in any way. I'd been used and discarded too many times for my liking and I couldn't let him add himself to that list. He would end up regretting this. If not right after the fact, then eventually. When he had time to sit and think about it, Edward would undoubtedly determine that he'd let me get too close.

Even with those thoughts swirling through my head, it surprised me when _I _was the one that began pulling away. My defenses were down, he could read every single thing flowing through my mind as he sucked gently on the curve of my shoulder, bit down on my exposed collarbone. Another chill shot through me and I actually squirmed against him. My thoughts shifted from him determining this a mistake and images of him doing that over and over again, on various places of my body, flooded through me at an alarming rate.

"Piper...." My name left his throat in a growl against my breastbone as he caught on to the shift of my thoughts, his hips pressing into mine more noticably than before. I could already feel the beginnings of his erection against the core of my body and my toes curled accordingly. I was suddenly on fire for him, even though there was some dark voice in my head screaming for me to stop. This was wrong. _Wrong_. But yet I couldn't stop myself as my hands slid down his back and disappeared underneath the hem of his shirt. Logic ceased to mean anything to me, the consequences disappearing before my very eyes as I began to trace the indentions of his muscles against his granite back. I hadn't been lying when I once told him that I'd never wanted anyone as much as I wanted him.

I don't know what Edward was thinking, but he seemed to pick something positive from my confusing train of thought. My tank top suddenly gave way around me and I pulled away to see an uneven tear in the fabric from hem to hem. I hadn't bothered with a bra, the line of exposed flesh running uninterrupted from my collarbone, to where my hips disappeared beneath the track shorts I'd pulled on. I couldn't force him away as I pulled back long enough to push the abliterated top from my arms and sent it flying across the room. As soon as the shirt, as well as his own were discarded, Edward had me back in his arms. His skin felt white-hot against mine as our lips crashed together yet again. I wiggled slightly against him and a low groan flowed from his throat into mine. He wasn't going to stop. Much like that last night in my bedroom, if we pulled away; it would be by my doing. Not his.

I didn't force myself to speak as he began to rain kisses along my chest once more. I let my thoughts speak for me, knowing he would be able to catch what I just could not voice. My fingers continued to glide across his smooth stomach and chest, tiny valleys and pits of skin appearing beneath my blind fingers as I memorized only by feel. Later, if I would let myself, I could use my eyes to drink in every single perfection that made up the vampire ravaging my neck and shoulders with his lips and tongue.

One particular thought must have grabbed him. Right when I thought he would angle enough to target my breasts, his hand covered the back of my neck and my eyes wrenched open. I was met by two pools of liquid, black fire. Hunger. That was the only emotion I could see in his eyes, the feral lust that I didn't know existed in him burned into my retinas as he yanked my hips against his.

"It's _you_ in my arms, Piper." He growled, his lips twisting wickedly against his perfect, dangerous teeth while his fingers disappeared beneath the waistband of my shorts. I shivered when his index finger glided over the downward curve of my ass and my head fell back slightly when he abandoned restraint and shoved his hand beneath me to grip one cheek. My legs curled around his waist even tighter and I allowed him to lift me up off the dresser. In a flurry of movements, Edward had me on the bed and completely naked before rejoining me.

I couldn't keep up, everything was happening so fast that my heightened sight just could not take in every single thing there was to focus on. I had never felt as overwhelmed as I did when his lips slid over my flat stomach, teeth nipping at the crease of my bellybutton before traveling south. I felt his breath against me before my mind registered his fingers, but suddenly we were moving yet again.

Using all the leverage I could, I effortlessly flipped him over and straddled his hips, my hands holding his biceps to the mattress. "Say it, Edward." I breathed, sounding even more throaty than I did normally. I needed that confirmation. Even though actions spoke louder than words, I still needed to hear him _say it._ I had to know before I let us go any further.

A low growl vibrated through his chest as he stared up at me, his lips flattening into a straight line as he struggled against me. Letting his arms go, I sat up and moaned quietly when he grabbed my hips and ground into me mercilessly. I felt every shift, every twitch as he sat up and coiled an arm around me, trapping me against him yet again. "You're making me feel like this, Piper. You're who I want, it's _your_ touch my body's craving."

That was all I needed. Granted, it wasn't in the exact wording I thought he'd pick, some of my defenses crumbled against him like a sandcastle in an overwhelming wave. I didn't have to lean forward very far to ignite another searing kiss and I let my fingers trail down his stomach, to the button and zipper of his jeans. My thoughts were so frayed with the pressure of his mouth on mine that I couldn't get his jeans undone. Growling in frustration, I just tugged on them and pouted against his lips.

The quiet chuckle that brushed across my face when he pulled away was music to my ears. I was dimly aware of the small swell of anger I felt at his amusement, but it was pushed away when he lightly knocked my hand away and opened his jeans. I started tugging impatiently again and actually squeaked in surprise when he flipped me off him and stood. His jeans joined my shorts in the time it took me to blink then his hands were sliding over my bare hips yet again. I willingly moved back as he trapped me beneath him once more, his lips circling kisses around my right nipple as his fingers dug in to the flesh of my left. My back arched into his touch, wanting more, _demanding_ it with every thought, breath, and movement.

It felt almost animalistic in a way, my legs curling around his waist again as I reached between us to grasp him. That part of his body felt very human in my hand as I clenched my eyes shut. A low series of moans were breathed into my breast as my fingers moved against him, alternating between blindly tracing and gently tugging him toward me. I'd only dreamed about it feeling like this, the impatience and primal urge to have another person's body getting lost within your own. To have everything come together and come completely undone under someone else's will.

There was no hesitation in Edward's body as he shifted against me, his lips claiming mine once again. My thigh slid higher up his waist and I used my calf to pull him against me, positioning against him so that he slid into me effortlessly. I didn't bother to swallow the moan our sudden connection created, letting the muted sound flow across our tongues as I arched into him even further. His body welcomed mine easily, the lines and contours of our bodies matching perfectly as he began to thrust into me wildly. The sensation, the delicious friction sparking up between our hips was maddening and I understood now what the others had said about everything feeling different. Edward holding me against him, pushing violently into me was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. Nothing could compare to this moment and a few, tiny wounds deep within me began to stitch themselves back together as our frenzied movements continued into the early afternoon hours. The only consequence either one of us could seem to think about right then was that release. That overpowering, world-altering affirmation that what we were doing was powerful beyond words.


	8. Chapter 8

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE**_**:**_ New chapter! I'm starting to stall a little bit, so I apologize now for producing chapters that might not have much going on. Thanks so much for continuing to review and let me know what you guys think! I read and appreciate each and every one of them._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

* * *

**Chapter Eight:**

"Regretting it yet?" I couldn't help but tease Edward as I lay curled up against him. Our chests were still heaving from lack of proper oxygen, legs tangled in each other and blankets that had been tossed around during our frenzy.

I smiled as a quiet rumbling started beneath my ear then traveled outward before moving up into his throat as his hands lazily danced up and down my spine. I'd never seen Edward as relaxed as he looked right then, staring up at the ceiling with me draped provocatively against him.

"Can't say that I do, not yet." He announced quietly and tilted his head to grin wickedly at me. The hitch in my breathing was the only thing to give me away, but I rolled my eyes jokingly and looked away.

"I still can't believe it." I announced suddenly, quietly. That wasn't what I'd wanted to say. I'd been planning on waiting as long as possible to bring up the subject of us nearly breaking the bed during the three different times we'd had sex. Or made love. I had no idea how he was considering that part yet.

"Can't believe what?" His voice was like liquid honey as he shifted underneath me, causing me to look up at him.

I shrugged as best I could, given my right shoulder was trapped against his armpit and rested my chin against his shoulder. "That we just did...that! Three times, no less."

He laughed again, causing my insides to feel like they were going to start disintegrating at any moment, then leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead lightly. "I can't either, to be honest. I was certain you would push me away the first time."

"But I didn't." I stated then frowned in confusion. "Why didn't you? Especially after the last time we...almost got there...."

Edward's answering smile was the perfect combination of mystery and confidence as he hugged me closer to him. "You're all I've thought about since the moment I walked into your bedroom that night. I had every intention of just talking to you. But, well you know, we ended up doing much more. I don't regret letting you push me away, but I do regret leaving you the way I did. Even though that pushed me to do something I'd needed to do long before you came into my world, I still carry that night with me. I can still recall perfectly how you looked as my family crowded around you."

"I remember that." I whispered and cringed involuntarily as the memories held me captive. The night I'd remembered the death of my daughter. I'd broken apart so completely that I was lost in my own mind. Even though the memories pulsing through my head that night had been seen through the eyes of my human self, the force and impact of them hadn't lessened in the slightest. With a sudden jolt back to the present, I realized that all of my big revelations had happened with Edward. It was almost as if he had the ability to bring me the closure I thought I could get alone. He'd been right, there was now another possibility open to me. I just had to decide if I wanted to take it or not.

"You okay?" The slight tug of my body broke my focus and returned it to Edward as he kissed the tip of my nose then relaxed back against the pillow beneath him. "You looked like you were a million miles away just now."

"Sorry." I admitted sheepishly and sighed as I looked down at his chest to trace lazy designs against his skin. Even though he was a vampire, even though his skin had hardened into an unknown source of stone, he still looked a lot like the seventeen-year-old boy he'd been when Carlisle found him. The boy who had dreamed only of glory the war would bring him. A soldier who had yet to know love.

"What're you thinking?" Edward asked quietly and I realized my thoughts had become closed to him as I lost myself in his history.

My cheeks would have become stained with blood right then if the ability was still in my power, but I tucked my face into his chest. We both laughed at that, quiet and carefree before I lifted up onto my elbow to look at him clearly.

"I was just thinking about you and your past. Wondering about our differences and...well, I'm a little surprised Alice hasn't called yet."

The laugh that expelled from Edward was louder than it had been moments before and right on cue, his cell phone began to ring.

"Speak of the devil...." I sighed and rolled off him long enough to grab them phone then handed it over, reclaiming my spot as he flipped the silver device open and turned the speakerphone on.

"What a pleasant surprise, Alice." Edward's voice dripped with sarcastic amusement and I burrowed even closer into the side of his naked body. "We were just talking about you."

"I can't believe it!" She squeaked, her high voice drowning out any background noise I might've been able to hear. "One minute I was watching Piper kick you out and the next...you're naked!"

I had to laugh at that, falling onto my back with my legs curling toward my chest. Alice must've realized I was there and launched into her opinion of what we'd just done.

"What's going to happen now? Does this mean Piper really is coming home with you? Edward, we love you but Esme said you're not allowed back in the house without Piper. Sorry!"

I finally calmed down, only snickering as I turned onto my side. Edward was enthralling as he spoke to his sister, his posture and tone relaxed and jubilant. I'd never seen him without the meticuliously cultivated facades he surrounded himself with. The same facades I would need if I hoped to someday exist as he and the rest of the Cullens did. I must have closed my eyes and let my thoughts run away from me because the next thing I became fully aware of was Edward as he leaned over me, his lips creating a trail from my belly button to the valley between my breasts. The phone, I noticed with a quick turn of my head as I sighed, was shut and carelessly deposited by my head.

"You know," I started out casually, snickering at the look that transfixed his features as his fingers began to dance across my stomach. "It's not nice to hang up on people like that. I bet Alice's feelings are really hurt now."

A small shrug bounced off Edward's lean, broad shoulders as he continued to move over me, alternating between touching with his fingers, lips, and tongue. The unexpectedness was enough to drive me nuts. Nevermind how it now felt to watch him so carefree. The barriers he'd presented between us were all but gone, reduced to rubble around our feet with one act. He was more open to me now than he'd ever been and I couldn't help but acknowledge the small part of me that had no idea what to do with that. Where did we go from here? How could we possibly start building on something when I still felt as broken and fragile as I did beneath him?

The most nagging question was one I had been trying, in vain, to forget about since he showed up outside my hotel room. What had changed so drastically that he left his family, well _our_ family to come and try to talk me into coming back? The Edward I was seeing now was not the Edward that had left me sobbing tearlessly in my old bedroom.

The almost-innocent carressing continued for what felt like a glorious eternity. Eventually, reality stepped back in when Esme decided to call Edward's cell phone. I could hear every word perfectly from the bathroom, where I was preparing for a shower to try and give him some privacy.

Alice had told every single person in the Cullen/Hale household that we'd finally slept together. Standing there underneath the hot spray, the words played mercilessly through my head. For all intents and purposes, I'd taken Edward Cullen's virginity. No one had come before me in his life, not even Bella. He'd kept lines so carefully drawn with her, because of her breakablity. But all of this new knowledge, rushing back at me like a toy sailboat in the middle of a hurricane; I didn't know what to make of it.

How did Edward see this new step in his existance? Did he see things the same way I did, or was sex just a casual thing to him? The only answer I could scrounge up was to my last question.

Of course Edward saw some kind of depth to sex. He'd been a virgin for over a hundred years, with plenty of chances to throw his V-Card away whenever he wanted. But he hadn't. He hadn't taken that step until just now, with me of all people. What made _me_ so special?

Was it because he couldn't hurt me if he lost control of himself? I was still surprised the only kind of damage we inflicted was denting the dresser and breaking one leg on the table. Superglue would be needed for that later. Why did he decide now was the right time? What had pushed him into that decision?

Years of torture and abuse had taught me a thing or two about myself; I was nothing special. Edward was. He was the very definition of exceptional. Had I entered his life in any other way, I was almost absolutely certain none of this would have happened. The distance would have been maintained, the walls closed tighter around him than a military base.

Sighing, my head dropped slightly as I finished up in the bathroom. Once I was toweled dry and clothed, I inhaled an unnecessary breath and stepped out into the main area. Edward was still seated on the disheveled bed, wearing boxers and nothing else. The mere sight of him, fixating boredly at the TV was enough to send any human girl's heart racing. He was so painstakingly beautiful that I had to stop. I couldn't get any closer, not out of fear of disrupting the momentary serenity I'd just walked in on.

He heard me, I knew that just by the slight turn of his head toward my direction. My cheeks would have started flaming right then and there if blood still ran through my veins. I still felt uncomfortably shy in the simple button down I'd thrown on, a shirt that had come from his bag.

"Hi." Edward stated casually and clicked the televison off, grinning crookedly at me as he spread one arm out across the pillows behind him.

I didn't waste any time in crawling across the bed and folding myself up against him. There wasn't any need for modesty anymore; he'd seen me in just about every single light there was to shine on me. And yet, he was still sitting here. He was still in a dank hotel room in Valdosta, Georgia; holding me and staring down at me as if I were the only female on the planet that registerred.

Yeah, something had definitely happened when he left Hanover right before I did.

I sighed involuntarily and his body tensed against mine. "You okay?"

I managed a small, probably mangled smile and tilted my head up to look at him. My eyes fluttered as his hand molded against my cheek, making it even more difficult for me to think of what I wanted to say. I had to be careful in answering his question if I wanted the peace to last.

"What changed?" I breathed, my eyes still closed as I reveled in the few, fleeting moments left to me. Edward's moods were just too unpredicatable for me to grasp.

"What do you mean?" He replied with a question of his own, air expelling from my lungs slowly as a result. He didn't sound mad or aggitated. Yet.

I sighed again, this time in muted frustration and shifted slightly against him. My eyes fought me as I tried to peel my eyelids back, but I eventually won and found a set of darkening gold eyes staring back at me. "What made you want to be with me? Edward, things haven't exactly been easy between us. We couldn't even stand to be in the same _room_ back in Hanover. And now..." I gestured at the bed underneath us then frowned slightly. "Now I think I've taken your virginity."


	9. Chapter 9

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Final chapter before I go on my honeymoon! I hope it makes sense, I got a random spurt of creativity and churned this out in about a night and half. It's a little short, apologizing for that now. But hopefully I can gain some more inspiration and bring you guys an insanely awesome chapter when I get back. As always, thank you __**thank you**__ for reading and reviewing, letting me know what you think. It keeps me writing, I swear it does._

_Stephenie Meyer's holding all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Nine:**

Sex with Edward Cullen was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. The memories I now carried of his perfect, immortal body paled considerably in comparison to the few, fleeting experiences I'd had willingly as a human. All in all, everything with Edward was ten times more exhillerating and natural to me.

Leaning against the low counter of the sink that connected the small dressing area to the enclosed bathroom, I tilted my head slightly to study my face. My eyes were growing darker with each passing day, the blood I'd taken from Dylan nearly diluted in the black irises staring back at me. Edward's eyes were darker than mine now, the color as black as pitch due to lack of feeding. It was something we were going to need to do sometime soon, I just had no idea how to bring the subject up with him. I was used to hunting in Hanover, my home. Here in Valdosta...I felt out of my element. It was like some strange puzzle, where I was trying to force the pieces to fit with no results.

Seeing Edward in my hometown was a little unnerving as well. I'd never thought I would see him in any other situation than the one erected around him in Hanover. Vampires couldn't function properly where it was sunny more often than it was rainy. The sun against our skin would expose us for what we truly were. And where was the silver lining in that? There wasn't and I finally got how all the myths concerning vampires had come about.

A pair of pale, muscular arms suddenly slid around my bare waist, causing me to jump in surprise. Edward looked the picture of ease as he rested his chin on my shoulder. It was a bit awkward, giving our height differences, but I couldn't see any irritation in his features as he curled up against my back.

"What's on your mind, beautiful?" His velvety voice held the perfect pitch of roughness and honey. Chills shot down my spine at the sheer sound of him breathing his question into my ear. He chuckled then and kissed the back of my neck before raising up to rest his chin on the top of my head. A small frown appeared, merely for show then I turned around slowly to face him.

"Just thinking about how different things are here than they were in Hanover." For one, he was actually _talking_ to me now. The intimate moments were just an added, albeit unexpected bonus.

One glance up into his face told me that he wasn't really buying what I'd just said. "Is that all you're thinking about?" He asked quietly, his cool breath flowing across my face as his hands lightly ran up and down my bare arms. "Cause...well, you're standing at the sink naked. Usually people think fully clothed."

Frowning almost instantly, I just shook my head and pushed him back a step or two before walking around him. Surprisingly, Edward let me get as far as the bed then was back at my side right as I pulled a tee shirt on over my head.

"I didn't say that so you would feel like you had to start getting dressed, Piper."

The deep indentions forming around my lips just grew tighter as I stepped into a pair of jeans and pulled them on, buttoning them blindly against my hips before my hands slapped against my covered thighs. "I was about to get dressed anyway. I just...got lost in the past for a while."

Edward nodded slowly but I could tell he didn't look convinced. Thanks to his unusual gift, it was sometimes damn near impossible to get anything by him. I was even more of an open book to him now that our relationship, or whatever this was progressing between us, was getting more and more intimate.

"I'm allowed to keep secrets too, Edward."

That simple statement seemed to do the trick, jarring him from whatever daydream or string of thought he'd gotten lost in. "I'm not...." The sharp twisting of my head, spraying dark red hair all over my scalp, brought him up short. His mouth hung open for an amusing half-second then his lips snapped together and his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not keeping secrets from you."

"Refusing to answer questions, or pretending you never even heard of them then changing the subject drastically counts as secrets. I'm not going to unload every single thought and feeling I have with you if you aren't going to do the same."

"I'm not asking you to." He spoke slowly and softly then turned and sat down on the edge of the bed. I didn't really kick up much of a fuss as he pulled me closer, positioning me between his knees with his hands laying on my hips. "Really, I'm not. I just haven't figured out how to tell you everything that I want to. I can't figure out yet how to prove this to you."

"Edward," I started and instantly began to twist away from him. He didn't let me go, which I half-expected. Without really thinking about it, I mentally shut down and just looked up at him plainly as he rose to his feet again. "You don't have to prove anything to me."

"I do." He argued, bending his knees so that he was suddenly eye-level with me.

"Why?" I honestly had no idea why I was challenging him the way I was, but the unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach was growing larger and larger by the second. Something, I didn't know what but I could just _feel_ it, was looming around the corner. Something I would not like. Something that could possibly blow all of our progress right out of the water. I didn't want that. I found myself wishing feverishly that this conversation had never been started in the first place. "Why do you feel like you have to prove something to me, Edward? I've already slept with you. You got what you wanted, right? So I think proving something to me right now is kind of a moot point."

If looks could kill...!

I could count on one hand the number of times Edward Cullen had stood before me, looking like a vampire. Right now, in the moment I'd unthinkingly created, he looked scarier than I could've ever predicted. I saw the movements but I didn't have a chance to react. One second I was just standing there, with his hands loosely covering my hips and the next, I was backed against the wall. His stone body crashed against mine with a muted thud, his hands forming manacles around my upper arms to keep me in place.

"I'm going to say this one time. I hope you're listening to me. I _have never _and _will never_ treat you the way anyone in your human life has. I know that things haven't exactly been smooth sailing between us and for that, I take full credit. But I am _not_ Jason North, nor will I ever be. So if you're going to start prosecuting me for his crimes, then you need to tell me so I can let you walk away now. I've never just wanted sex from you, I didn't want to use you in hopes that you would suddenly realize I was over someone when that was the furthest thing from the truth. I've gone over a hundred and ten years without sex and I'm perfectly capable of trying to break that record. Granted, things aren't turning out the way I would have hoped, or even the way I planned when I set out to come find you. By the way, thank Alice for that. But the fact remains that I initiated something more with you because it's what I want. I want every single piece of you that you're willing to give me, nothing more and certainly nothing less."

Air hitched in my throat involuntarily as I listened to him speak. His voice was silky smooth, but the undercurrent flowing through it had the edge of a knife sharpened to the finest point. His words echoed painfully through my ears and seared their way into my memory. I couldn't detect a false note anywhere in his entire spiel and I was left even more speechless than I had been just moments before. How could I respond to that? How did I tell the glorious creature standing in front of me that he could have whatever he wanted from me? But I was scared. So horribly terrified that I was willing to pass from human to vampire again with the full knowledge of how much the transformation would hurt. All so that I might possibly be spared the pain now slicing my insides to ribbons. I was scared to let him in even further than I'd already done. I was terrified of facing the day when I suddenly didn't measure up anymore. It had taken a moment of solid bravery and sacrifice for him to walk away from Bella Swan. I hated that things kept coming back to her, but the fact remained, she was still engrained in my thoughts. They snarled together in a complicated twist; Bella and Edward. If he hadn't had the courage to stay with her, a girl that had captured his heart and made him feel things for the very first time, then how was I going to accomplish where she had unknowingly failed? Did he truly leave her just so that she could find a normal, human life? Free from vampires and the constant threat we represented?

My heart no longer beat, a pulse was never going to be detected underneath my granite skin. But I felt so much more vulnerable now than I'd ever felt in my days as a human, teenage wife. Jason North had very nearly succeeded in killing me, only to be thwarfed by the man that had created the person holding me in his iron grip, feeling like he had to prove just how drastically things had changed since I left Hanover.

Could I really do this? Could I really stop putting up one roadblock after another, giving Edward more obstacles to overcome? I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if I kept to the path I was on, I would lose the one person that had become the biggest piece of my life. I would lose Edward to the ghosts of my past, to the insecurities that had lurked in my heart as I moved into the immortal world.

Was that a price I was willing to pay? Did I have it in me to let everything go, to close the door on the past I still couldn't remember fully and let myself be put into a position of possibly being hurt again? I was already there, Edward already had the power to cripple me in ways that I would never be able to recover from. There were pieces of me that would never be fixed, that couldn't be mended no matter how hard anyone tried. But there were some pieces, possibly larger spots that were crying out for attention. Those same pieces were the ones that still held hope, pleading with me vigerously to just let everything go and _fall_. It was tempting, so much more than any scent of human blood could ever hold for me.

How could I let go of years of abuse and neglect and embrace the polar opposite without damaging things in the process?

Edward must have seen something he didn't like in my expression, my face twisting and untwisting as I warred with myself internally. He let me go without another word and spun on his heel. I could only lean back against the wall for an invisible sense of support as he finished getting dressed, grabbed the spare room key and stole out into the darkness that was just beginning to blanket my hometown.

Why did he always have to _leave_ when things got difficult? How was I going to find the right way to make him stay and wait while I processed the insane tangle of thoughts in my head?

I was definitely going to lose him if I continued to let the ghosts of my human life trip up my vampiric existance. Loneliness had never really been an issue for me when I still had a pulse, but now it was breathing uncomfortably down my neck, reminding me that this kind of isolation was just going to lead me down a much deeper and darker path than I was already on.


	10. Chapter 10

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ And I'm back! Bearing a new chapter that was hopefully worth the wait. Thanks so much for the reviews, they really inspired me once I was able to get back on my computer. Okay, enough of me rambling. Here's the chapter!_

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Ten:**

One month. It had been exactly one month since the night Edward walked out of my hotel room in Valdosta. I guess the saying _was_ true, things can always get worse.

Several members of the Cullen family tried to contact me, via the cell phone Edward had replaced without my knowledge. I'd honestly thought about disposing of it kind of like I'd gotten rid of the other one. But something was keeping me from that. It was my only tangible link to the family I was leaving behind yet again.

I hadn't even given him a chance to talk some sense into me before I was packed and in my Charger. There were still things I had left to do in Valdosta, but I couldn't ignore the weird pull I had been feeling for a few days now. Like there was somewhere else I was supposed to be, another puzzle of my life waiting desperately to be put together.

That magnetic pull brought me back to Hanover. It was difficult to be so close to the home I'd been reborn into without contacting anyone, but I had to. Alerting the others to my re-entrance into the New Hampshire landscape didn't particularly factor into the hazy set of plans forming in my mind. I knew Alice would forsee me coming home and hopefully just tell the others that I was safe. That I had to do this on my own, even though it hurt more than most of the stuff I'd experienced in the first few months of my new life. I still couldn't remember the night that had led me to the body I was forever encased in and that was one piece of my history that was keeping me at bay. If I could just _remember_ that night, maybe it would help me move forward. This was my last resort, the one sure-fire way I could think of to help me put things behind me. The past had been tripping me up enough. It was just a little unnerving to realize that it wasn't just _my_ past in the way.

Pushing that from my mind, I stared at the hotel room I'd managed to track down. It'd taken a lot more time than I would've liked, but it felt strangely comforting to be standing in the last room I'd been in as a coherent, conscious human. These were the expanse of four walls I'd desperately escaped to in hope of safety.

I sighed quietly and let my eyes roam over every single flat surface, crook, and shadow in the immaculately cleaned hotel room. I could smell the faint, lingering traces of bleach that had been mixed with some kind of detergent for the carpeting. Upon moving further into the room, air felt like it was clinging to my throat when the tiniest trace of human blood tickled my nostrils. The cleaning personnel had missed a spot.

As soon as I noticed the tiny speck of blood on a far corner of the low dresser set directly across from the bed, a myriad of images began to flicker through my mind. They were hazy and dimly lit, like staring at a TV slowly fading out. I couldn't get a firm grip on anything, everything was racing past before I could clearly bring things into focus. My eyes clenched shut on their own accord and I momentarily gave myself over to the memories trying to regenerate in my head.

Jason had always been an intimidating person, that wasn't something I'd been able to forget. It would be with me for as long as eternity lasted. I hadn't noticed it until it was too late, the trait always deeply buried beneath his calming demenor. More memories began to intermix with the slideshow a speck of my human blood had created. My body felt even colder than normal and every single muscle in my body seemed to stop working as I watched a younger version of myself.

I looked so happy in the murky haze of my flashback. Anyone could have noticed the mega-watt grin stretching my lips. Jason wasn't too far away in this mental reenactment, smiling patiently over my left shoulder as I looked at something that was just out of focus for my vampire eyes. I could only guess at the object that held my attention. The flashback continued on without me mentally needing to be there and eventually, which was probably only a few seconds, what my human eyes had been focused on came into view. My last good birthday.

I'd spent the entire day with Jason and his family. At the time, their home had been a place of refuge for me, I could relax and just be a normal girl. That day, I didn't have to worry about my father smacking me for saying the wrong thing, or my mother cowering in the corner in fear that she'd messed up a miniscule detail. It'd just been about celebrating the fact that I was alive and celebrating yet another birthday. The object in my hand was the most sentimental gift I'd ever been given; a framed picture that had been taken on our first date.

I couldn't believe how young I'd looked as I dragged myself back to the present. That girl was long gone, having been destroyed by circumstances beyond my control. I couldn't consciously remember the last time I'd felt the way I had on my fourteenth birthday. I'd lost track of the time when I could just be normal and carefree.

Or so I thought.

The realization hit me so much harder than I thought it would, probably because I wasn't expecting it. I wasn't expecting to be able to make an easy connection between my human life and my new, vampiric existance. Jason's comforting embrace had dissolved into an intimdiating grip that could crush me if so desired. I'd felt the same way when Edward hugged me for the very first time. Only, after nearly seven months in his world, that had yet to wan. I still got the same feeling every single time he held me in his arms. But it extended beyond that with the boyish vampire that had helped piece some of me back together. All he had to do was _look_ at me now and I felt whole. I could let go of all the baggage that had accompanied me into this new world and just be myself. Be the girl I'd lost when I became a mother and wife.

I'd sacrificed so much over the short span of my life. I'd quit school for Jason, I pushed aside all of the foolish hopes and dreams I'd kept to myself while the world around me grew darker and more dangerous. I'd held such high hopes for my life, the life I wanted when I was finally able to escape the scenery my parents had pulled me into. I could now remember it all so clearly and vividly. I'd wanted to be a dancer, eventually owning my own dance studio so that I could teach children the escape I'd found very early on in life. That was the only thing my parents had given me, and Jason allowed me to keep it when our relationship grew serious.

I had to sit down on the edge of the neatly-made bed when a new, more vivid memory assaulted me. Edward had caught me countless times, listening to music and dancing around my bedroom. I hadn't known, at the time, where all the percise movements of my feet had come from. All indicitive of my time spent in countless dance classes over the years. Even though my memory had lost the complicated twists and turns, my feet hadn't been able to forget.

My body seemed to remember every single thing that I could not.

My body was now remembering much more than complicated dance steps I'd been taught by a woman of forty aging gracefully. A familiar tightening began to build up in my lower abdomen and an assault of crisp images replaced what I'd been trying so hard to regain. I could still feel his scent in my nose, his smooth skin gliding effortlessly against mine as our bodies picked up a rhythm that couldn't be created any other way. He'd done so much more than just give my body the release I didn't think it was capable of. Even though he pieced some of my broken heart and soul back together, he'd done one thing that I could not escape now.

He'd broken my defenses down so much so that I was now physically aching for him. Edward had ignited yet another foreign emotion in my long-ago numbed body.

Shaking my head, I frowned at the wall in front of me and looked over at the microscopic spot of blood. The reason I was here. The insane, hairbrained excuse I'd concocted to justify leaving Valdosta without giving him any warning. My last night as a human.

If I let him, Edward Cullen could very well distract me from the one thing that tiny, angry voice in the back of my head wanted most.

The memories began to trickle in yet again and I could at least remember the beginning of my last fight with Jason North. I'd been foolish enough to call the one friend I thought I could count on. I'd given her my whereabouts under the delusion that she would keep it safey tucked inside her own mind. She knew what had been going on with Jason, she was the only person in my life encouraging me to take my daughter and leave him. We both knew it was going to take an act of God for me to escape with our child, but she'd been that source of strength. Then she went and betrayed me in the worst of ways.

Looking back on that night now, I still wasn't sure if I'd told her everything that had happened during my journey from Valdosta to Hanover. I couldn't recall if, during my last conversation with her, I'd let her know that my daughter was no longer alive. One moment of uncontrollable rage at the hands of her father and she'd become lost to me forever. Much like the girl that had been broken in this very room.

The same anger and defiance I felt that night rushed back to me, crashing into me like two rocks in a horrific landslide. I'd been so ready to stand up to Jason, losing my daughter serving as the final piece of the backbone I'd worked so hard to create against my husband. But that first slap, the back of his hand connecting with my jaw as I opened the door, unsuspectingly, destroyed every single thing I'd worked so hard to build.

I winced as the images came into sharper focus, the individual pockets of my infalliable mind working together to reclaim what was in my past. Jason didn't waste any time once he had me on the floor. His rage engulfed the entire space and I had felt like I was choking on it, pinned beneath him as his fist connected over and over with my jaw. The muscles in my side flexed on their own will as I recounted being dragged to my feet then sent hurling into the dresser that was still in front of me. When my head bounced violently off the table to the right of the bed as I slid over the mattress, I lost the train of connecting images. The most significant trauma that Jason had inflicted were moments of my life that I would never be able to reclaim. I'd never know what he did to me once I was knocked unconscious and crumpled to the floor.

All I knew for sure were the words he whispered into my ear as I faded away that last time. Words that would now accompany these images to haunt me for the rest of my days.

_You're not worth my time anymore. I don't want you anymore so that means no one else is ever going to have you again._

If he only knew how dangerously wrong he'd been the night he left me for dead.


	11. Chapter 11

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ New chapter. I'm sorry these are coming slower than before. Everything's once again crazy for me and it'll be about one more month until my schedule evens out to where I'll be able to write a lot more. Then, when that time hits, I'm pretty sure I'll have people begging me to __**stop**__writing. Anyway, here's the latest installment! Enjoy and__** please**__ let me know what you guys think. Your reviews keep me tuned into this story, they keep me wanting to open it up in my WordPad and type away. I apologize now, this chapter is a little shorter than some of the others I've cranked out._

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Eleven:**

When I first came back to Hanover, I always expected Alice to eventually find me. After all, with her gift, she could see every single step I was taking in my journey. Or at least, I was pretty sure she could. Alice had been pretty thorough in explaining her extra sight once I learned of the Cullens' extra abilities.

So to come back to my hotel room after hunting and finding her perched on my bed was not as surprising as it should have been.

Nothing about her had changed in the least. She was still as unearthly beautiful as she'd been when I saw her for the very first time. Her hair still an inky disarray of spikes against the back of her head. She'd used her own hairstyle as inspiration for mine when she tried to rectify the hackjob done to mine. Of course, she was immaculately dressed, emphasising the false sense of innocence she held with a flowy top over a neat pair of jeans. The ballerina slippers on her feet were a pair I'd seen a time or two before. Even Alice Cullen had her favorites when it came to fashion.

I felt impossibly hideous standing in front of her, my arms folded over the flannel shirt I'd thrown on over a simple tank top and torn jeans. I hadn't been kind to my clothes while I traipsed across the Eastern US. "I figured you'd eventually come by."

She laughed brightly and the chorus of bells infused brought me an easy sense of familiarity. "I tried to stay away, but I couldn't. I've been so worried about you, Piper. We all have."

"I know." I sighed and frowned when the noise sounded a tad sharper than I wanted it to. "Edward said that when he found me in Valdosta. I can only _imagine_ who pointed him in the right direction."

Alice didn't look the least bit phased as she hopped up to her feet, towering over me ever so slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest in a gesture eerily close to mine. "Piper, he would have found you reguardless. It really hurt him when you disappeared without saying goodbye."

"But yet it's okay for him to just shag ass on me?!" I blurted out quickly, my voice raising an octave as I stared at her in surprise. "Alice, there have been double standards with him from the very beginning! You all knew why I left, I didn't keep any secrets about that."

"You need to see things from Edward's side." She sighed and sounded a bit impatient as she steered me toward the bed. We both sat down, her hands still tightly bound over my bare forearm, eyes on my frayed jeans. Of course, leave it to Alice to be mentally scolding me on my clothing choices while she scolded me verbally about my life choices. "I'm not here to make excuses for him. He can do that well enough on his own. I'm just asking you to show him some patience and forgiveness. What happened in your room...then in Valdosta, he's doing the best that he can."

"I _do_ understand that." I frowned at her, trying to ignore the roaring jealousy I suddenly harbored toward her. Why did everyone seem to be on Edward's side and not mine?! "But can't y'all see _my_ side of it?! I never expected to feel...anything toward Edward. I didn't want to and a part of me still doesn't."

The expression on her face didn't change once during my entire tirade. She'd probably forseen all this, me being difficult about my already-deep feelings for Edward. Feelings that had ultimately led to us falling into bed together.

"Let me ask you something." She started out quietly, keeping her patient eyes trained on me as she twisted agily to face me. Were my body not able to achieve the same fluidity, I would have been unnerved by her sudden movements. There was no need for the human facade she'd spent years perfecting for me. "What made you decide to sleep with Edward? I know you're not the person to take that kind of step lightly."

"I'm not." I answered with absolutely certainty. And I hadn't. No decision made reguarding what I felt for Edward had been entered into lightly. "But honestly...I don't know. It was all in the heat of the moment, every single thing I felt just boiled to the surface and exploded."

"And after?" Her tolerance knew no bounds.

She sort of had me there. Everything had seemed so simple, so cut and dry as I lay there in his arms. But then reality, as it always did, set in and I remembered every single thing that had intitially made me keep my distance from Edward Cullen. Reality made even more difficult by the past I was still hanging onto. I was so much more like Rosalie than I'd originally expected. Hearing her chilling tale about exacting revenge on the men that had led her to Carlisle's compassionate family, I hadn't been able to ever forget about it. The tale was in the back of my mind when I set out on my own sort of path. I was following in her footsteps, but looking at the beautiful blonde now? She seemed to have let it all go, enjoying her life with Emmett and everything accompanying it. Minus all the things forbidden to them thanks to this life. There were times when I could tell she hadn't fully let go of _that_ part yet. Of course, how could a woman when the one thing they wanted most was now the one thing they would never be able to have?

"I honestly don't know." I sighed and let my head fall back, eyes on the ceiling. Alice didn't stop looking at me as my mind ran on ahead of me. How could I _possibly_ undo months of ripping my humanity out, inch by inch? And essentially, that was what I was doing. I could feel the difference when I drained Dylan, acknowledging the voice in the back of my head that roared when I went back to my 'vegetarian' diet.

"I think," Alice started and pulled my hand into hers, the similarities in our sizes extraordinary. "You need to talk to Edward. Tell him every single thing you remember about your past and the attack that pretty much killed you. Shutting him out isn't doing anything but hurting you both."

"Why do I have to be so forthcoming?!" I hissed and wrenched my hand from hers, spinning to my feet in the blinding fast motion only our kind could achieve. "I'm always the one that's being told to be honest with him, to tell him everything in hopes that he understands and gets why I'm acting the way I do." I sighed heavily after my little rant and turned back to face the tiny vampire I'd left on my bed. "I'm sorry Alice, I know you're just trying to help. But I'm so _sick_ of this double standard. No one tells Edward to be honest with me, to tell _me_ everything that's kept _his_ boundaries up. I'm competing with the ghost of a person I've never met, but yet he gets to keep all his secrets! It's not fair, Alice."

She sighed and moved for the first time since I started, basically, screaming in her face. My back was haunched slightly in anger, but straightened instantly when my tiny sister bounced to her feet and closed some of the distance between us. "I've told him everything I tell you. I think he has some explaining to do himself, it's not just you. My brother's incredibly stubborn, especially when it comes to admitting to being in love. I know you don't want to hear this, but Piper, he acted the same way when he first met Bella. It took a really long time for him to admit that her presence changed him. That he was in love with her."

"Then he left her." I added in dully, my voice losing the anger I'd been holding so tightly reigned in a second ago. "Who's to say he won't do the same to me? Alice, he _has_ left me. He won't even tell me why he left or where he went."

She sighed and reached out to grab both of my upper arms, our eyes practically level as she tried to drill holes into my darkening irises with her golden eyes. "You didn't give him a chance to explain everything. It hurt him badly when he came back and you were gone. He couldn't understand what had propelled you do to that and none of us knew when you were coming back. I knew that you would, eventually. But a time limit wasn't given. You were just...gone. And all Edward could do was resign himself to wait. Wait for you to come back."

"But he didn't." I relied with a humorless laugh and lifted my eyes back to the ceiling again. "Instead, he came looking for me and things became even more confusing than they were."

"Only because you two won't sit still long enough to talk everything out." She shot back and I noticed the hint of frustration in her words. Of course Alice would be frustrated at us. It was almost as if we weren't working with her or something. Like we were completely ignoring the little timetable she had constructed. "One of you is always leaving the other and I'm sorry, but it's got to stop. I love you both, very much, but you're killing me with all this running away."

"We can't all be as convinced of our fate as you." I muttered, actually smiling a little in spite of myself. Alice didn't even have to _meet_ Jasper to know he was her soulmate. She'd told me a little of her past, how she had found her way to Jasper when I first joined their family. The entire story, minus the more gory part of their beginnings that I still didn't know all about, filled me with a kind of hope I'd never felt before.

Just looking at her now, with her true love nowhere in sight, you could still see his mark on her. It was like looking at half a person without him by her side. This was the kind of relationship I'd always hoped for, growing up in Georgia. I'd never even known something like this could exist, until I saw it with my very own eyes. Alice had forseen Jasper coming into her life and changing it all so completely that she was left altered in the process.

I had also come into this new life altered, marked so severely that the lines and creases would never fade or smooth over time. I could only assume now that it was up to me which lines I chose to acknowledge.


	12. Chapter 12

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ A full day of writing has lead to another chapter. It's picking up from here, enjoy!_

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Twelve:**

Even with Alice's sage advice ringing in my ears, even with the overabundance of things I wanted to tell Edward; I still hadn't come face to face with him. She was right, just like she knew she would be. I did have to tell him everything, but could I really do that when there were still so many gaping holes in the story?

Alice had, of course, told the others that I was back in Hanover. But no one had come banging on the door yet, much to my surprise. I was putting off the trip I would unevitably have to take. I had to go back to Valdosta and finish what I'd started. No matter what, there was just no way I was letting Jason North live. He wasn't getting away with the things he'd done, and the ruins he'd left in his wake. I just hoped my family would be able to come to terms with my moments of monstrocity and welcome me back home.

I had no idea either way, but I couldn't let that stall me.

Sighing quietly as I slowly sifted through the clothes littering my bed, I heard the footsteps echoing on pavement before I heard the knuckles lightly bounce against my hotel door. The clothes in my hands slipped past my fingertips, completely forgotten about as I ghosted across the room to get the door.

Carlisle stood on the other side, smiling just as he had when I awoke for the very first time in his home. I'd been expecting a visit like this since Alice had appeared in my room. At least, he'd had the good grace to keep up humanistic gestures. Him appearing this way was much more calming than the way his tiniest daughter had chosen.

"Hi Carlisle." I smiled warmly at him and quickly stepped aside so he could come in. Everytime someone crossed a threshold, one of our kind anyway, I wanted to giggle. The long-ago myth that vampires had to be invited in clearly did not apply. Of course, they hadn't when it came to public property but still! "It's so good to see you again."

"You too, Piper." His smile was just as warm as his butterscotch eyes as he stepped inside then enveloped me in a tight hug. Leave it to Carlisle Cullen to make everything feel like time had stopped ticking away when I left his family.

"What're you doing here?" I hated asking that question, and had even resolved against it, but the words slipped out anyway.

If I was upsetting Carlisle, he wasn't going to clue me in on it.

I dutifully turned back into the room when he released me, plopping down on the edge of my unused bed as he closed the door behind him then joined me.

"I came to see how you're doing. Alice has been keeping us pretty well-informed. Since I brought you into this life, I worry about you when you aren't around. I worry about all of you when we're separated."

"But I'm fine." I promised in a quiet rush. And I was. Physically at least. "I _am_ sorry though."

"Sorry?" Confusion lit up Carlisle's face as his hand tightened a little around my fingers. "Piper, you have nothing to apologize for."

"But I think I do." For the first time since waking into all of this craziness, I understood the others' aversion to disappointing Carlisle. He was very much the father in this family. All the human dynamic found in 'normal' families existed with us. Even though I was the newest to join his family, I felt the same compelling determination they did.

I wasn't sure I had it in me to break the way of life Carlisle Cullen had created for his family. Even though I wanted Jason North to pay, to see the light fade from his eyes as I stood over him, I wasn't sure if I could live with the price.

I was unbelievably controlled for a newborn vampire. Seventeen years of human brutality had strengthened my vampiric resolve not to take human life. Perhaps I had finally found the silver lining of my human existance. I hadn't fit in that world. I never felt good enough of perfect enough to thrive as Piper North. Maybe, if I'd been given enough time with my infant daughter, I would have eventually found that missing piece.

But Jason had destroyed that. He'd taken the perfect little life that was Colby Anne North and tossed her away. He had destroyed her innocence as absolutely as he'd shattered mine. But in doing so, he'd provided me with a very concrete means of escape. Escape from him, the beatings, the violence that left me with less and less of my soul.

"Why did you decide to save me?" I asked, having completely forgotten that I was trying to apologize to my father for a moment of weakness.

A hint of surprise flickered across Carlisle's face, but he bounced back with a naturally thoughtful expression. "I couldn't stand to watch you die, Piper. It broke my heart," he paused long enough to flash me a wry smile, "to see you waste away like that. I was angry, impossibly so, at the person responsible. Even though I had no idea who'd hurt you at the time. But I do have to admit a little selfishness factored in."

"Selfishness? Why?"

"Because I wanted you to have a family. _My_ family. I took one look at you and knew you'd seen unspeakable horror. Studying test results and x-rays of your body confirmed that. Plus," Carlisle paused again but a different expression took over this time. "Well, let's just say Alice isn't the only matchmaker in our family."

Air hitched in my throat at his words and I could tell he was being honest. My mind raced on ahead, piecing the puzzle together before I could make the conscious decision to do so.

Carlisle had create me with selfish intentions. I'd known that from the very beginning, yeah. Turning a human being into a vampire was nothing but selfish. But I'd always thought my transformation was to prevent my death. Carlisle had told me so himself, my life was too much of a "waste" if he just let himself stand there and do nothing.

Something clicked so suddenly into place that I gasped aloud. I'd completely forgotten a part of the conversation when Rosalie had told me of her transformation. Of how Carlisle had hoped she would find the kind of love with Edward that he'd found in Esme.

"Carlisle," I started and noticably winced when my voice cracked. I could already see the sorrow filling his eyes when I looked up at him agian. "Did you turn me for Edward? Did you hope that I would or even _could_ magically fill the voice Bella left behind? That he would let me be to him what he wouldn't let that human girl be?"

The invisible lines on his ancient face suddenly appeared, searing their place in my memory as he looked down at our hoined hands. "No. But I will admit that I hoped for it. As his father, I hated to see Edward in such pain, knowing it was created by his own hand. Because he refused to bring her into this life." He sighed and looked up at me again, tightening my fingers in his hand a little more. Almost as if he hoped I would stay put and listen to his explanation. After all, I _had_ asked. "You know that Edward has a very different view of our existance than I do. He believes we are truly cursed, that there is nothing good about us continuing to survive. Even though we abstain from human blood, denyingour very nature, even though we love each other so completely when others of our kind are unable of such bonds, he still isn't convinced. With Bella, he saw himself as the monster in her fairytale, while she likened him to the knight in shining armor."

I could agree with her there, to a certain extent. But still, it stung to sit here and listen to Carlisle, knowing that he had pretty much saved me to take this girl's place. The entire family, minus Edward, had probably shared Carlisle's way of thinking. As if I _needed_ more of a reason to feel inferior to this girl.

"I really wish I knew what to say." I admitted with a quiet sigh. The monster behind my eyes was impossibly angry with her creator. She felt like a means to an end. Something to distract the gloriously immortal boy with bronze hair from the girl he'd been unwilling to change.

Carlisle didn't leave for some time after our conversation ended. He apologized several more times before stealing out into the breaking hours of dawn, feverishly hoping that he hadn't caused more damage by being honest with me. He'd never lied to me, he promised as he held my hand delicately in his larger grip. As grateful for that as I was, it still hurt to have af acet of the truth staring me accusingly in the eye.

Maybe this was why Edward had been so dead-set on distance in the very beginning. There was no way Carlisle could have kept this from his gifted son.

I couldn't bring myself to return home with Carlisle now, even though he'd made a valiant effort on the pursuasion front. It still felt wrong, like I didn't entirely belong or deserve to resume my life as a Cullen. I hadn't asked and Carlisle didn't volunteer Edward's whereabouts before he left. I was almost willing to bet he was back with them though. There wasn't a need for him to be in Valdosta anymore.

I was gone and not making myself known to him anytime soon.


	13. Chapter 13

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Two new chapters this time! Hopefully you guys like where this story is starting to head. I promise, major things coming down the pipeline now that I actually know what I want to do with the last part of this story. Keep reading, keep reviewing, I adore you all for taking the time out to read what helps pass my boredom. I apologize now for chapter lengths._

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Thirteen:**

It was probably the wrong thing to do, but after my last conversation with Carlisle, I couldn't stand the idea of staying in Hanover. I knew Alice would be furious with me, but I could go toe-to-toe with her in that arena. It hurt that my entire family had been in on the plan from day one.

My sole reason for existing, it felt, was to be Edward Cullen's own personal distraction. Sorry, wasn't happening. I already had two names on the list of people who'd grown tired of me, I wasn't going for a fourth.

As soon as I crossed the state line into Virginia, my cellphone began to ring. The sudden burst of noise was startling, mainly because I wasn't used to the damn thing actually _ringing_. The car, thankfully didn't swerve an inch as I pulled it from the bag I'd tossed onto the passenger seat before my hasty exit.

As soon as I looked at the tiny Caller ID box, I let out a low groan. Of course. Flipping the silver device open, I sighed and held it near my ear. "Hi Alice."

"Where the hell are you going now?!" She shrieked, her voice drowning out any background noise that might've been helpful to ascertain whether or not she was alone for this verbal barrage.

"You know where, Alice!" I snapped back instantly and started to pull off to the side of the road. Thankfully, with the hour, the highway was dark and completely deserted. Once I turned the headlights off, darkness consumed my surroundings.

There was no mistaking the deep sigh that filled my earpiece just seconds before everything went silent. I was hurting Alice, I knew this. I knew she hated to watch the back-and-forth game I seemed to be playing with her brother. I could only imagine Edward's reaction when his tiny sister announced my journey back down south.

"Why are you going to Virginia?" When I heard Alice's soft voice, I actually jumped in surprise. "What's there?" She repeated, as if I hadn't heard her the first time.

"My daughter." I mumbled, my usually throaty voice even more raspy with the two words. I heard the sharp intake of breath but strangely didn't care. As much as I loved Alice, I _had_ to do this.

Doing two things at once, I clicked the phone closed and hit the accelerator. My car roared onto the deserted highway with a satisfying lurch. I'd never really given much thought to how Edward and the rest of the Cullens drove. I'd always just been more partial to running if I had to go anywhere. But now, with so much power surrounding me, I could understand their facinations with speed and power. A wild peal of laughter burst through me as I gently pushed my foot harder onto the gas pedal. The engine reacted just as I wanted it to, rising from a purr to a quick, fierce growl before evening back out.

The fun was short-lived when a set of human memories began to flicker through my mind's eyes. I was getting closer to my destination and an unsettling feeling began to simmer in my stomach. It felt so long ago that I'd driven down this road in a car I'd purchased with the last of my money. The odometer needle began to receede as one part of my mind began to emerse itself in these forgotten memories. But when I remembered dimly the warning Esme had given me about young vampire minds being easily distracted, I once again found myself pulling over on the abandoned highway. In my human days, I would have been terrified about pulling over in such a dark, heavily-wooded area.

But as I stared out through the windshield, I felt none of that. There wasn't any fear in being parked out here at such a late hour. I almost felt pity for whoever, or whatever, found me on this stretch of road. The strength coiled my muscles almost without my willing it, as if my body was preparing for the onset of an attack. But nothing was going to find me out here. I was the only threat out this late at night.

With that thought secured in a part of my mind, the roll of memories started right back up. I'd been secretly elated when I counted the stash of money I'd been putting aside, without Jason's knowledge. I'd been worried he would find it and guess my plans of escaping with Colby. I had even been working a job I hated, uneasy each and every single time I left my daughter with someone while I went and made money for our escape. I'd been so sure that, if I chose to push a divorce through, I would lose custody of our daughter. No judge in the entire state of Georgia would look at my past fondly and decide I was the better suited parent. Jason was too charismatic for anyone to see the monster I saw every day of our relationship.

The money had gotten us a bus ticket, taking us as far as Virginia before I wanted a new method of transportation. The bus took too many stops, I'd decided and it was just too risky. Colby had been strangely quiet and that ratched my unease up so much more. Why was she so quiet? Granted, she'd always been a pretty quiet baby from what I could remember, it was still strange for my child not to react to the tension that had been rolling off me in waves. It wasn't until I used the last of our money to get a hotel room for the night when my unease came to fruitation.

I didn't need to watch the scene with my bright, vampire eyes to catch all the details of the night Colby died. I didn't need anything to recall that back, my mind had unconsciously held onto the memory so tightly that the surge of images surprised me. Surely, I would have missed something with my fallible, human eyes. There _must _have been something I missed that night, a poignant sign as to what was happening and what was to come.

My eyes pricked uncomfortably as I remembered dropping Colby's lifeless body off at a nearby emergency room. I could only guess that this was the closest my body could now come to crying. My heart had died that night, not knowing if I was doing the right thing by my daughter or not. I'd simply gone in, not having to act the part of a bereaved mother as I laid my daughter in the capable hands of the attending physician. I'd given her real name, but altered mine so that no one could trace me. They'd worked so digilantly on the tiny baby, but just minutes after I walked into the room, her time of death was announced. I had waited until it was perfectly clear then stole back out into the Virginia night. I had no money to give my baby a proper burial. But they had all the pertinant information and I had to console myself with the knowledge that they would bury her to the best of their abilities. I'd even waited in the dingy hotel room she'd died in to see the grave for myself. The city had paid for a small, but perfect headstone for my only child, stating her birth and death date right below the grantite etch of her full name.

I wasn't conscious of pulling back out onto the road and following it to that dimly familiar graveyard. I felt like I had somehow gone on autopilot, parking the car and shutting off the engine before I stepped out into the crisp air. Curling my arms to my chest in a gesture that would not soothe me, I finally felt the snap back into my body once I'd found her grave.

Colby Anne North. Only six months old when she died of Shaken Baby Syndrome. All caused by Jason when she didn't stop crying fast enough for her already-aggravated father. I still wasn't sure what had been going through his head when I walked into her small nursery and found him holding her over her crib. But I distinctly remembered watching as her wails ratcheted up a notch when he began to violently shake her. Her eyes rolled back into her head then and she fell silent. He'd just laid her back in the crib then dragged me from the room. No amount of time or changing would erase that beating from my mind. All because I hadn't gotten to her first. It was _my_ fault she had been left to cry for so long, with a dirty diaper that hadn't been changed by my hands.

Breathing in sharply, my legs folded sinuously beneath me and I was sitting just at the bottom of her tiny grave. I could only imagine what her body looked now in the tiny coffin they had gotten for her burial. My poor baby had been lowered into the ground without me there to watch. I hadn't even been able to cry and grieve the way a normal mother would for her child.

"I'm so sorry, baby." I breathed, lifting my eyes to the sky as my eyes pricked once again. The grief building in my body felt like someone had strapped a hundred pound boulders to my human chest and back. In that moment, I was seriously doubting my invincibility. "I should have been there for you, Colby. I should have stopped him from doing this to you. I never though...." My voice cut out involuntarily and I winced as my words floated back to my ears. I hadn't been prepared for this, for all the 'what if's and moments of regret.

When I awoke to this new life, I hadn't been counting on all of this to be waiting for me. All so I could relieve the destruction of my world. Maybe that was why it was so difficult for me to let Edward in and not push him away. My heart lay directly in front of me, rotting away into nothingness without anyone's knowledge. How could one person possibly withstand everything I had and come out okay on the other side? Was the damage too far beyond repair that I would never feel whole again?

Or was there a way for me to get around this? To let go of my human past and embrace the life given to me by Carlisle Cullen. As I sat in front of my daughter's grave, I wasn't entirely sure. Maybe some scars just ran too deep for them to be healed properly.

It was probably the hardest thing I've ever asked of my new, vampire body; but I somehow climbed to my feet and got back in my car. I'd never be able to come back here again, to view the baby I'd created and carried for nine months. I wouldn't get to ever speak to my child and hear her tell me that she loved me. Was that something I would even be able to count on, providing I had never been able to escape her father's clutches? Or would she look at me the same way her daddy did, with eyes filled to the brim with hatred and loathing.

What would my tiny, perfect little girl think of the person her mommy had become? Would she see my bloody, darkening eyes and be scared of me? What if my face was too foreign for her to recognize? For all I could see, there was a distinct possiblity that my perfect daughter could look at me now and see the same monster that her daddy was.

Kind of ironic, so to speak. Her father was a monster in every sense of the internal sense. He didn't look like a monster, but the creature always lurked deep beneath the surface. And her mother, so desperate to escape it all and build a better life; not just for herself but for her daughter as well, had become the monster on a superficial level.

The little girl that had tried to escape seventeen years of hell had finally crossed over to the darkside. Her soul was forever gone, too damaged to be pieced back together.

Maybe that was yet another thing Edward was right about. In order to gain eternity and everlasting life, we'd been forced to pay the ultimate price. But did that really pertain to someone who hadn't had a soul to bargin with in the first place?

I finally leaned forward and started the Charger's engine. It roared to life, disturbing the silence that had fallen around me before settling into the comforting purr I knew so well. I didn't let myself think about anything other that the simple series of motions that propelled me out of the little parking area and back onto the highway. I was done with my trip down memory lane. I didn't want to remember anymore. I was sick of recalling my life before the Cullens and feeling the phantom ache throughout my entire body.

I was tired of being the victim, always running scared. The pieces had all been put back together. It was time now for my final act of revenge. No one or nothing would stop me from this. I _had _to make that final step in my journey and hope for the best.

I would probably never be able to rejoin the Cullens and have them accept me as readily as they had that very first time. I wasn't sure if my place was at Edward's side for the rest of eternity. But none of that really felt important as I resumed my path. I had no idea what was in store for me now, since I refused to call Alice and find out what she'd forseen.

I was just sick and tired of letting the past wreak havoc on a future I wanted. Wanted so fiercely and so suddenly that I hadn't even realized the origins of that desire until I visited my daughter's final resting place for the last time. I just had to hope that I could do this, that I had the inner strength required to fulfill my plan before I found him again.

I would make him see the damage that had been done to me. It was just up to him whether or not he chose to overlook all of that and let me be his future.

I'd only been on the road for about an hour and half when my cell phone rang again. This time, I checked the little ID box and blinked in surprise when I saw the name accompanying the number.

Carlisle.

"Is everything okay?" I asked as soon as I had the tiny, silver phone open and pressed to my ear.

His laughter was exactly the same as the audio from my memories. Time would not change Dr. Cullen in any way. "Everything's fine, Piper." He replied and a new tone filled his voice. Embarrassment, maybe? I could still remember our last conversation when I'd still been in Hanover and flinched involuntarily. "I'm surprised you accepted my call though. I'm glad you did."

"I debated." I revealed and glanced down at the dashboard to see my slow decend back into a reasonable speed. There was no sense in lying to Carlisle. Not only would he probably call me on it and demand the truth from me, but there was a small part of me still writhing in pain from his last omission. "But it's good to your voice. Did you finally cave to Alice's begging and call to convine me to come home?"

Again, he laughed and I could hear faint stirrings in the background as he quieted down to speak. "She is adamant about that, but no. I understand that you need to do some things on your own, though I may not entirely agree with them. I've just called to possibly help you with your plans."

"Let me guess," I sighed and instantly thought of my omincent sister. "Alice forsaw me going after Jason and decided to warn the entire family?"

"Yes." He agreed then pulled his mouth from the reciever to say something to whoever was in the background. I could only guess at who he was addressing. Seconds later, after hearing him soothe whoever with perfect clarity, he returned to our conversation. "I did some digging and learned that Jason North has officially given up on searching for you. According to officials in Valdosta, Georgia; you are legally dead.

"Wow." I breathed, my mouth falling open with a tiny pop. "That's a good thing, right? That means he won't be coming back up to Hanover to search for me?"

"It's a very good thing as far as I'm concerned. They're even planning a funeral for you, according to my contact's information."

He had a contact in Valdosta?! Since when and who could it _possibly _be?!

"Contact?" I blurted out then shook my head slowly, my hand tightening on the steering wheel just a hair. "Wait, they can't have a funeral of there's no body to bury."

"Apparently that's not stopping your human family from following through on the charade. I believe your mother was quite adamant in going through with this."

"Of course." I sighed and leaned my head back against the headrest behind me before I refocused on the road winding to the left slightly ahead of me. "Okay, so that means I have the greenlight. No one will be expecting me to show back up in Valdosta."

"No one will be searching for you again." He hedged and a new peculiar tone overcame his side of the conversation. "Piper, you don't have to do this. You don't have to destroy him just so you can move on with your life."

"Yes I do, Carlisle." I responded through my teeth. "He can't go on with what he's doing. What if he's already found someone else and is putting her through the exact same torture he put me through?" I reasoned, mostly with myself. "He killed my daughter, that's something I just can't let go anymore."

"I understand." And I believed, for a very brief moment, that he did. But it wasn't enough to discourage me from all this. "But Piper, we should call the authorities. Let _them_ handle the situation while you rejoin your family."

My family. Had my heart the ability to still beat, it would have broken with Carlisle's last statement.

"As much as I would love to do that, I can't." I sighed and closed my eyes against the same pricking I'd felt in the cemetary. "Besides, I understand if you guys don't want me around after what I've done and...am about to do. Once I do this, I will be going back to the way of life you've created, Carlisle. I have no desire to take human life. But since I still can't see Jason as a human being, he's the exception. It's the only way I can fully let go."

"Very well." When Carlisle Cullen sighed into the phone, he sounded so ancient and defeated. I hated causing that kind of reaction in the man that had saved me from death. "But just know that you have a home to come back to. Nothing you can say or will ever do is going to change that. You're a Cullen, Piper. No matter what."

"Thanks Carlisle." I breathed with a small, relieved smile on my face. I didn't even know it was there until I shifted to glance in my rearview mirror. "Tell the others that I miss them, okay? And I'll consider...coming back very soon."

"Of course. But what would you like me to say to Edward?"

The crux. The phantom ache in my dead heart. _Edward_. "Tell him," I started then trailed off with a heavy sigh. "Tell him that I love him." As soon as the words slipped past my lips, ringing with honesty and sincerity, I clicked the phone closed and flattened the pedal beneath my foot against the floorboard.


	14. Chapter 14

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Fourteen:**

I'd never really had a liking for contacts. As a human, I'd been forced to wear them in order to correct my eyesight. I'd hated glasses, infuriatingly so. I was too active for the frames to settle just right on my face at all times. Plus, I hated having anything on my face, my nose constantly itching whenever the simple silver frames rested in front of my eyes.

Now I was having to wear them for an entirely different reason. Shortly after my conversation with Carlisle, I'd locked myself up in my car to think about some things. It wasn't fair for me to continue using the Cullens' money to fund my excursions. I had no idea how much I'd already blown through as I traipsed through the countryside between Hanover and Valdosta, then back again. I'd been in town again for nearly two weeks now and had even managed to secure myself a job.

It was probably the riskiest thing I would ever do, obtaining a human job when I was anything but. The lure of human blood was constantly around me as soon as I entered the rundown little bar I now worked in. A secret call to Jasper had given me the paperwork needed to secure the job. I knew he hated to keep things from Alice so I wasn't really concerned when he mentioned that he would be telling her all about my favor. I wasn't about to become the reason they began keeping secrets. Besides, doing something like that around a family as gifted as the Cullens was not the most feasable of objectives. Alice had already seen me striking out on my own financially, fearing for my tolerance as I did so. And Edward, who was back with the family after finally returning from Valdosta, could just pick the entire situation right out of Jasper's thoughts.

So when I got the call from Alice, begging me to reconsider my course of action, I'd expected it. I needed to have a tie to the human world. Even though I was almost close to my year-mark, I still needed a way to keep my abstience up. Maybe if I remembered what it was like to be human, to be in their world as much as I could, then I could continue on with my bizarrely perfect self-control. That was what the Cullens were doing anyway with Carlisle working in the hospital, Esme becoming active in the community, and the 'children' attending school. Their own way of staying connected and busy. The temptation was never going to completely fade, but it was still so easy to completely overlook. Just as long as I kept myself filled with animal blood.

Walking into the small bar now, I smiled shyly at a few patrons I recognized. Even without perfect mental recall, I wouldn't have been able to forget the small group of guys that came in every night after work. They always ordered the exact same thing, leaving right after consuming their third pitcher of beer. My gift of catching lies came in handy at times while I was working. I didn't have to rely on IDs or any form of identification to tell a person's age. It was clearly written on their faces, something I'd picked up after about two days behind the bar.

I'd lied about my age as well, claiming to be twenty so that I could act as a bartender and not be in any law violations. I didn't want to get the guy running this place any grief or shed some light on the shadier sides of his dealings. He'd get caught eventually, he laughed to himself often, he didn't need me helping things along.

I also wasn't Piper Cullen when I stepped into the bar. I'd needed a whole new identity, which was why I'd decided to go to Jasper for a new completement of documentation. The name on my driver's liscence had come from Alice's own mind. Giving her a way to help had assauged her a little, making things somehow a little easier for her to bare. If she felt included then she was less eager to come and stop me. She knew what was coming, it would be stupid to think otherwise. But she was giving me what I needed most. She was letting me do everything I needed with the hope that, once I was done, I would return to her family.

That was something I was still flipflopping about. I still didn't feel like I deserved to be apart of such a big, strong coven of vampires. Even though they loved me and even though the one who'd made me was the head of that family, I still had some lingering insecurities. Those were probably never going to go away.

But I had no idea what would happen once I finished my little plot of revenge and attempted to talk to Edward. Communication between us was still nonexistant and probably would be until I finally reached the point of breaking down and coming face-to-face with him once again. Alice was convinced that talking was needed on both sides. I still didn't know what he'd done when he left Hanover for that week while I prepared to strike out on my own as well. But it involved Bella Swan...Black, I was sure of it. I didn't need Alice to confirm that for me.

"Aren't you supposed to be at home with your wife?" I teased one of my regulars, a fortyish man with graying hair and a sun-wrinkled face. His name was Earl Nolan with a wife and three kids at home. If I remembered right, the youngest of his children wasn't even out of diapers yet. That helped fight against my very nature, knowing tiny details about my customers to keep me from taking them from whatever loved ones they had waiting for them at home.

"Eh," He shrugged my words off as I tied a short, simple black apron on over my worn jeans. "Janie knows where I am. She'll call if things get too rowdy at home."

I just shook my head then nodded, knowing that _I_ would end up being the one calling his wife so she could come pick up her drunk husband. It always happened, without fail. Earl Nolan didn't really know his limits when it came to alcohol. And since Jack Daniels straight was his drink of choice, that line was usually closer then he figured. His drink was poured out with no thought or hesitation from me, and set in front of him before I went to check on the others milling around the bar.

A couple of unfamiliar guys stood by the left corner of the waist-high bar, talking quietly to one another as they held their bottles of beer close to the chest. My eyebrows puckered as I leaned over the cooler filled with various beer labels, hearing every single word flowing between them perfectly.

"I'm tellin' you, John. Something's out there killing the wildlife. How else do you explain the bodies that have been poppin' up all over the place?"

"You know how people are around here. There's no such thing as 'official' hunting season. We hunters just go out whenever the mood strikes. Besides, it's pretty damn convienent if you ask me. No one needs to be drivin' home late at night and smack into a deer while it tries to cross the street."

I nearly snorted aloud in amusement, knowing that the 'threat' in question was me. Valdosta wasn't exactly known for it's wilderness, but there was just enough that I could hunt inconspicously. And if I needed to, I always went to other areas in the south to satate my thirst. After all, I wasn't the only southern vampire in existance. Jasper's stories of the wars during the first years of his vampire life had confirmed that.

It was a little scary to think of that now and know it to be the truth. Even though a vast majority of that had happened long before my birth, concentrated around Texas and Mexico, there were still some immortal creatures that remembered that time and the grudge still tugging on their dead hearts. The South wasn't nearly as peaceful as the North. Or as domesticated. Covens just didn't exist down here anymore.

Probably because I was already thinking about it, when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye, my entire body tensed all over. I didn't need to look up in order to know for sure that their heart wasn't beating anymore. I couldn't detect a pulse anywhere in their body as they settled at the bar, hands clasped together with eyes trained on me. I just wasn't sure what color their eyes would be when I looked up to acknowledge them.

I had a part to play, even if my cover was possibly already blown. I had to keep up appearances if I wanted to keep this job and continue paying for the hotel room I'd secured as soon as I crossed the Valdosta city lines.

"What can I getcha?" I asked in my best drawl, smiling brightly with one hand fisted on my hip. The young man sitting in front of me was clearly a vampire. His features were frozen in pristine conditions, making him look no older than twenty. He didn't have any real defining characteristics that would put him in the same category I had for the Cullens. His hair was dirty blonde and cut close to his scalp. He hadn't bothered hiding his brilliantly red eyes from onlookers either. Nomad. I would've bet my undead life on it. This vampire didn't live the same way I did, not even close.

"For starters," He drawled and his accent represented New Orleans to the fullest. "You can tell me what a beautiful _girl_ like you is doing in a place like this."

I had to work to keep my eyes from rolling around in their sockets. The contacts obscuring my vision were even more irritating when I did that and ever blink brought me even closer to having the venom wash away all traces of the flimsy little quarter spheres that turned my eyes from a dull gold to murky green. There was no confusing the double meaning he'd attached to the world 'girl', but I was grateful that he'd at least _attempted_ to disguize his original question. Pretending to sigh, I leaned my free hand against the lip of the bar and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Only if you tell me what it matters to you. I don't even know your name."

His laughter was pretty intoxicating, or at least I assumed it would be if heard by a human's ears. How had the Cullens been the first vampires I came across? I was honestly surprised this world had been opened up to me when it had. And while I was in a northern state. "My name is Adam. Does that earn me enough points to get your name?"

One glance down the length of the bar gave me everything I needed to make a decision right then. I didn't want this vampire, this nomad, to know anything about me. For all I was aware, he could get me alone then dismember and torch me before I could stop him. He looked much older than a newborn so maybe I had a couple of things on my side. Still, I wasn't going to press my luck with no one watching my back.

"Nice try." I winked at him then carefully pushed off from the granite countertop. I could already feel the strength beginning to wan in my veins as I used up the human tissue still left in my body. It was weird, and a little disconcerting, but I knew I would have all the strength I needed for whenever I chose to go after Jason. I kept my pace even as I walked out from behind the bar and began to check on the patrons that had settled into the wide, square wooden tables set up all over the plank floor beneath my sneakered feet. The atmosphere was so relaxed in here that I'd needed to make no changes to my wardrobe. Alice probably had a fit when she saw that but oh well. I was getting back to my roots, in a sense. Plus I hadn't chosen this place at random.

The vampire at the bar was all but forgotten about as I started slinging drinks, my hands coated in the sticky, brown liquids from beer taps within minutes. The smell of alcohol helped defuse the aroma of human hearts pumping blood, giving me another scent to concentrate on as I worked. All the little tricks I could find were put to excellent use. I held my breath when I could, but I always had a back-up plan in case someone wanted to spill their guts to the 'hot bartender'.

"Hey Sadie?" I looked up instantly at the sound of my phony name. The same guy at the bar, Earl, smiled kindly at me as I drew closer and waved his empty glass as a silent plea for more.

Sighing, I just smiled sadly at him and twisted my body through the only entrance into the back part of the bar. I had to be mindful of my actions as I refilled his drink then set it down before him. Once he had that, a happy sigh as the amber liquid slid down his throat, I was abruptly reminded of my other bar patron. One I didn't forsee leaving for quite some time.

My expression was patient as I moved to stand in front of him again, both hands bracing my tiny body against the low counter. "You aren't going to go away unless I talk to you again, are you?"

The vampire sitting before me just smiled then closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. I already knew what he was tasting in the air, pausing in his enjoyment long enough to go through the motions in pulling from the beer I'd set in front of him shortly after he arrived.

"No." He answered and set the dark bottle down in front of him before folding his short, stubby fingers into each other. "I'm strangely facinated by you, Sadie."

I rolled my eyes involuntarily when he used the same name Earl had, hating that he now had the means to address me. "Nothing special about me." I retorted, my raspy voice a little sharper than normal. "I think it's about time you left before someone realizes that you're just wasting good brew."

I'd said it all so quietly that no one but the two of us had a hope of hearing. The smile that spread across his thin, almost waxy lips was sardonic as he lifted his bloody eyes to meet mine. And in that second, I didn't even care that my contacts had just disintegrated against my eyes, leaving the dark gold irises undiluted.

"We both know this isn't 'good brew'." He replied just as quietly as I was speaking, but perhaps with a little more patience than I was currently possessing. Adam leaned closer to me then, most of his weight coiling into the muscles of his arms. I could see faint outlines stressing against the front of the plain black tee shirt he wore. But none of that was distracting. I knew exactly what to focus on and what not to.

He wasn't Edward.

The thought of his name, flashing across my mind without any prompting felt like venom was poisoning my system all over again. Even though I only remembered the very end of my transformation, there was enough to make the analogy true and usable.

"You need to leave." I repeated and pushed away from the bar once again. Human bartenders didn't stand for too long in front of one customer. No matter what the vampire sitting in front of me had on his agenda, I wasn't about to risk letting him blow my cover. Not if I was to get closer to Jason so that I could ultimately destroy him.

My mind raced on ahead of me with this new train of thought as I worked. How _was_ I going to steal Jason's life from him? I didn't look much like the human girl that had stolen from his house in the dead of night, with their daughter clutched tightly to her chest. Maybe that would work in my favor. If he did happen to think I was still alive, he was probably forseeing someone who looked nothing like me. My hair was forever going to be short, never reaching past my shoulders as it had before Jason attacked me with a pair of scissors. People had always said that my most beautiful feature was my hair, dyed dark red since the moment I turned fifteen. I'd even dyed it again right before the impromptu haircut and my subsequent transformation.

Maybe he assumed that my hair would be back to the honey blonde that I'd been born with, but masked so that I didn't have the same hair color as my father. I'd inherited his hair almost perfectly, honey blonde with just enough body to slightly thicken the ramrod straight locks.

Thinking about my hair now shot a surge of pain through my system. Carlisle had said it best; never changing, never aging, never moving forward with the future that had been stolen from me.

All because I kept choosing to love the wrong person.

Was that what I was doing now by not letting Edward in and keeping him close? Was I condemning myself to the path I'd been stuck on before I died? It was no secret that Jason North was the worst mistake of my life, even though he had given me Colby. I'd always thought that I had been a pretty good judge of people, knowing exactly who to stay away from because of the monster I shared a house with.

But I was wrong. It wasn't that I knew who to stay away from in order to protect myself from getting hurt. It was the polar opposite. I didn't know how to hang on to the good people in my life. I had no idea how to give someone a legitimate reason to stick around.


	15. Chapter 15

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Another chapter. It's gonna get darker from here, just warning y'all now. Please review._

_Stephenie Meyer's the one makin' all the money, I'm just havin' fun._

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**Chapter Fifteen:**

It hadn't taken me very long to realize just how tedious closing a bar down can be. Especially for a vampire with photographic memory. But I had to pretend to be a run-of-the-mill barkeep, letting the owner grill me over and over about what I was and wasn't supposed to do once I was told to stop accepting customers.

I should've known that as soon as I saw the vampire named Adam, that my night would not return to normal afterward. If anything, it just got a little weirder.

I heard the whisper of wind as the main entrance opened before I heard the familiar jingling of bells that had been nailed against the top of the crumbling, wooden panel.

"Sorry, bar's closed." I called as soon as I thought it was acceptable to have heard such a noise.

"That's fine, we're not drinking anyway."

As soon as I heard that voice, my entire body locked down. I wasn't really sure why or what had caused it, but I knew better than to overlook the nauseating feeling my mind conjured up within in my perfect stomach. I'd never feel actual nausea again, something I was immensely grateful for. I could still remember the morning sickness that had alerted me to Colby's creation.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my eyes up and locked them on the perfect, blonde statue that was my sister. Rosalie, with her oversized, intimidating-in-looks-only lover at her side. I could feel the shock skitter across my face before locking it into a smooth expression.

"This is a surprise." I mumbled, knowing they would be able to hear me easily since the overhead speaker system had already been cut off.

"What's going on?" I winced and cursed under my breath, causing Emmett to chuckle stealthy as my boss' voice drifted out from the back office. His physical presence followed just a second or two after his question. All I could say about Jonathan Murdock was that his looks overshadowed any and all enticement his blood might've held for me. Y'know, providing I'd been the average newborn.

"Just my brother and his girlfriend." I replied quickly, yet evenly. I turned the customary half circle to smile reassuringly at him as Emmett and Rosalie took a seat on the stools directly in front of me. I felt the small explosion of wind against the exposed side of my neck as Emmett laughed. He was probably thinking about the hundreds of ways I could've saved face right then. And of course, I had to pick the one that endebted me to him. But if we were going to play the family card out in public, I had to go with Emmett. Rosalie's hair threw off any family resemblence we might be able to conjure up. Even though we all wore the tale-tell markings of vampires, it didn't entirely mask everything.

As soon as I saw Emmett for the very first time, I could see some similiarites between us. I'd never seen him as a human, but I knew that basic bone structure was not lost in the transformation. The curves of our jaws almost matched perfectly in this life, though I probably looked a little more guant on my deathbed than he had, it was still there. Easy for humans to grasp and wrap their heads around.

"About time!" Jonathan nearly exploded with happiness and I felt a fleeting urge to snap his thick, oversized neck like a pretzel. The thought, quite vulgar played out through my mind, was kind of humorous in an odd way. I really was a twisted individual, vampirism aside. "I was beginnin' to think this girl didn't have anyone to look after her."

Thankfully, I'd somehow ended up leaning against the low bar of the back wall, hands braced between two liquor bottles that were only half full. This meant that Jonathan was standing directly in front of me and was completely obviously to the roll my eyes did as I grimaced noticably. When he wasn't hitting on me in ways that would probably get him smacked by a 'proper' chick, he was pretending that he actually gave a damn about what happened to me once I was out of the bar. Jonathan Murdock always seemed to be working when I was. Hmm, coincidence, maybe?

Yeah, probably not.

Clearing my throat loudly, I made sure that only Em and Rose could see me before I hastily grabbed a dishtowel by cheating then straightened back up before Jonathan had even thought about moving. He turned to face me, his upper body strained toward me while the other half lay flat against the counter before him.

"I'd love to see y'all go all 'happy day', but I really wanna get this done." I mumbled, infusing my voice with so much sweetness that I could've put a diabetic in a permanant coma. "I'll meet you guys back at my place, okay?" I continued, cuting my eyes to Rosalie before I turned and started to arrange the long line of bottles that made up the bar's choices. For such a crappy dump, Jonathan sure did carry top-shelf kinda stuff. Oh well, stranger things and whatnot.

I wasn't sure if Emmett and Rosalie knew where I was staying, the thought occuring to me once they were already gone and I was left to clean up. Just like every night before, Jonathan stayed up front with me. He claimed it was to make sure I knew how and could just look up if I had any questions, but I knew better.

So when he decided to approach me after about twenty minutes of silence, I wasn't all that surprised.

"Hey, Sadie? Could you come here a minute?"

A small groan passed my lips, but I set down the dishtowel and spray bottle of cleaner then joined him over at the bar. Invoices and various other piece of paperwork littered the spotless bar surface, a pen hanging limply in his hand as he turned on the stool to watch my sluggish approach. I was supposed to be tired after working for about seven hours. I had to play and sell the part.

"What's up?" I asked, my voice heavy enough to drag my throaty tone down to the proper level.

"I was just wonderin' about your personal situation." He mused, even rubbing his stubbly chin thoughtfully. His eyes were in the wrong place though, settled unapologetically on the cleavage pushed up against the low collar of my black tank top. Standard work attire to help entice the horny bastards that came through here to give some attention to the tip jar. My endowments, permanantly frozen larger than my normal size thanks to having breastfed Colby, were probably what had gotten me my job in the first place. At least I'd held on to weight in one area of my body. The rest of me had looked painfully thin during my last days a human. Now, according to Alice at least, I had a body most supermodels around the world would kill to have.

"What about it?" I asked, trying to keep some of my heritage out of my voice as I rested my hands on the low waistband of my jeans, thumbs hooking into the apron strings that crisscrossed over the beltloops.

"Well, I just..." He sighed and looked away, blood flooding his cheeks as his heartrate accelerated a bit. I felt the familiar tickling of my throat, made slightly more powerful since I knew what human blood tasted like. It was always worse when I knew just what I was denying myself.

Still, as I stood there, waiting for him to go on; I wasn't knocked senseless by the raging desire to bury my razor-sharp teeth in his neck. The action would be simple enough. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that I could strike easily and he'd never see me coming. But I resisted, cutting off my air supply when the temptation grew a little too wild for my liking. Even though I didn't really like this guy, I _did not_ want to be standing there, thinking about the myriad of ways I could kill him. It felt odd, almost wrong in a way.

After all, I was only going to deliver one more human into the hands of death before I recommited to Carlisle's way of life. My boss' name was not on that list.

"I don't think it's right that a pretty girl like you has no one to go home to."

There, it was finally out in the open. In a weird sort of way, I couldn't tell if Jonathan was trying to hit on me or fear for my safety. When he started to go on, I leaned more toward the first option. Especially when his words made my little extra sense start tingling.

"There's no one to protect you, Sadie. And this is a very rough part of town. People are still reeling over the death of a young woman."

That pulled me up short! Death of a young woman? Where was I for this and why hadn't I heard? It was detrimental to my secret that I knew exactly what was going on in Valdosta. "Young woman? What happened?"

That simple question warrented a huge sigh from Jonathan and he shifted on his stool. I could tell I was about to be in for a very long story. And the two family members that had come to see me weren't really _known_ for their patience. "I don't know all the details, but I do remember the girl. She grew up here, family's still here. Pretty little thing, always had been. She surprised everyone when she got married and dropped out of high school. When she got pregnant, her husband was over the moon. He'd stop anyone in town that he could and just go on and on about his wife. Well, shortly after she had the baby, both she and the baby girl disappeared. Everyone was gossiping, saying that she just snapped and took the kid with her. But both ended up dead. No bodies were found though so they just buried empty coffins."

My heart felt like a lead balloon in my chest as I listened, my suspicions growing as his words slowed then stopped all together. "What was her name?" I asked through clenched teeth. One glance at Jonathan's face confirmed he hadn't noticed me steeling up in front of him.

He looked lost in his own memories as he sighed, still staring at my hips as he shrugged. But when he looked up at me, the venom in my veins was suddenly replaced with ice water. "Piper, I think. Little girl's name was Colby. Yeah." He nodded suddenly and smiled sadly up at me. "Piper and Colby North."

Thank God I'd decided to use a different name.

"So no one knows what happened to her?" I asked, my throat feeling like it was going to close around my question at any time. Jonathan still was oblivous to my discomfort, for which I was fleetingly grateful. How was I going to explain something like that? I couldn't very well tell him that he was speaking of my death as if he'd been there, front and center. "No one knows what killed her?"

"No." And then Jonathan sighed. I wanted to smack him right then and there for how he was acting. It wasn't like he'd actually _known_ me while I was still human. I had no memories of him or the bar we were standing in. "It just kills me how that husband of her's is reacting. He comes in here sometimes and gets sloppy drunk, all so that he can forget how alone he is now."

I had to work to fight back the snort of laughter that built up in my chest. Right. Jason was really torn up about my death. Ha! That was the funniest thing I'd ever heard. Especially considering the fact that he'd _caused_ my death and our daughter's.

The silence lingered for about a second or two after that, in which time I finished wiping down the open space of bar. Throwing my rag down, I reached behind me and untied my apron before depositing it on the counter. "If you don't mind, I gotta head out. My brother's probably waiting for me. He's not exactly what you'd call patient." He was, it was just Rosalie that I was worried about.

Jonathan just nodded and waved his hand slightly at me. Dismissal if I ever saw one. Not thinking twice, I jogged out of the bar at my human speed then raced for my car, which was parked in the back of the dimly-lit lot. Once I was inside with the doors locked and engine running, I let the anger I'd been feeling inside the bar boil up to the surface. I had to do something, _anything_ to curb it. I didn't care that the entire town had misgivings about my death. But I didn't want them feeling sympathy for my killer. Even though Jason hadn't delievered the final blow that stopped my heart, he'd done that for Colby. He wasn't a victim, he wasn't the bereathed widower that everyone in town was making him out to be.

A plan formed quickly in my head as I threw the car into drive and hit the gas pedal. The car lurched forward with a satisfying snarl of the engine. It was a good thing Rosalie had decided to come see me. I was going to need her expertise, and help with this.

Killing Jason North wasn't going to be feasable on my own. Not with everything I had planned for him. I just hoped I could get my stunningly blonde sister to agree.

In a matter of minutes, I was parked in front of my hotel room. Emmett and Rose were leaned casually against his Jeep as I climbed out and headed for the door. They joined me quickly and before I knew it, we were all inside with the door locked.

"What's up?" Rosalie was the first one to speak, probably having seen the look of pure hatred on my face. "What happened after we left the bar, Piper?"

I looked up at her and nearly snarled the words out. "My boss, Jonathan, decided to tell me about how I died. Jason's walking around town like the grieving widower he isn't. No one knows that he nearly beat me to death in Hanover after making me bury our daughter. I can't let him get away with that. I was going to just kill him before, but now I have to set the record straight."

Emmett didn't relax from his place in the chair beside the door, but the expression on his face _did_ change. I could only guess what was going through his head. "Well, well." He drawled after a few beats of silence. "Looks like our baby sister here isn't as tame as I thought she was."

I glared at him for a second, letting my hatred for Jason leak into it then let a low, menacing growl slither past my lips. "He earned it, Emmett."

"I'm not doubting that." He held his hands up instantly and stared at me blankly. "I'm just saying that I didn't think you'd have it in you to be this ruthless. Especially considering what you were like when you first woke up. I always figured you'd want revenge once you remembered everything, but I didn't think you'd go this far."

"What do you mean, this far?!" I sputtered and bodily turned to face him. I could feel Rosalie at my back, ready to move between us when and if the need presented itself.

The larger vampire was on his feet blindingly quick, flashing his wife a reassuring look before he stepped closer to me. "You're really willing to tear yourself apart for this guy? To continue tearing _my brother_ apart? For what? Piper, it's not going to make things magically better for you. You're still going to carry this around with you, but now you'll be carrying their deaths as well. Just as Rose!"

As soon as he mentioned her name, I whirled around to face the vampire that was now glaring at her immortal love. "Is that true?" I asked breathlessly, my voice actually rising some in pitch. "You didn't feel even the _slightest_ bit better when you got your revenge on Royce?"

She grimaced at his name and probably regretted every calling him by name in front of me. But I had a point to prove and she knew that. Staring at me for a minute, she just sighed and looked at me straight. "I can already tell what you're going to ask of me, Piper. And I'll help you, but under one condition."

"Name it." I was so happy to have her help that I didn't care what she demanded in return.

"Come home." Rosalie's voice was void of any emotion as she delievered the final piece of her ultimatum. "Let it end with Jason and come home, where you belong. Emmett's right, it's killing everyone to have you so distant from them."

"Are you including yourself in this?" I flung the words at her, meant to injure her in some way. Rosalie had always been the one to keep her distance from me, minus the times when she was trying to help me as I recovered my memories of rape and brutality. Things she'd also suffered while human. I'd thought it would bring us a little closer, to have a shared bond. But it didn't, not entirely anyway.

"Of course." She hissed and her golden eyes blazed against her alabaster skin. "I know what you're going through better than anyone. And I wish like hell that you didn't have to, your wounds are so much deeper than mine were because I didn't have a child in my unhappy ending. You did and that's left a darker mark on you than my betrayal did on me. I'm agreeing to help you because it's the only way I can think of to get you home. Where you belong, where you can let go of all this and move on."

"With Edward." I finished for her, not meaning to have his name pass my lips as a sneer.

"Yeah." She nodded and a lock of blonde hair fell over the front of her stylish jacket. Thankfully she was overlooking the rage boiling underneath my skin. "He loves you and I know for a fact that you love him. Maybe once you get what you're after, you two can just be happy and stop tormenting one another. Frankly, I wanna throttle you both for all of this back and forth. But he's finally stopped chasing after Bella. It's time you stopped chasing after Jason the way you are."

As much as I wanted to deny what she was saying. As strongly as I loathed the comparison, I knew she was right. I was never going to be able to fully commit to Edward with this still looming over my head. I had to end it all once and for all. Maybe then, and _only_ then, would we have a shot at the kind of happiness the couples in our family had.

I'd never wanted to just go home and rejoin the Cullens as much as I wanted to right then. But Rosalie was offering her assistance, all I had to do was go home. This was the easiest deal I'd ever made in my life. And I told her so.


	16. Chapter 16

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Another chapter. Just to warn y'all, I've taken liberties with the town of Valdosta. I don't entirely know the city but I mean no disrespect by depicting it in this story. I'm just letting my imaginiation and the words flow. I apologize now for probably being hideously inaccurate. But with my mental headspace right now, I'm just writing to escape, not really researching things fully. And please bare with me, things are going to get a __**lot**__ more interesting after this chapter, which I've already written and am proofing now. This story's on it's way to winding down, much to my sadness. And I just wanna thank y'all now for sticking with me this long. Even if you don't review, I more than appreciate everyone taking the time out to read this. It means so much to me as a writer._

_Stephenie Meyer owns it all, I'm just having fun in her world._

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**Chapter Sixteen:**

Thirty-six hours was all it took for my plan to be hatched out with Rosalie. She'd asked Emmett to go home, but stay silent about what was going to happen here in Valdosta. All he was allowed to say, as he climbed into his Jeep after a showy goodbye display, was that I would be bringing Rosalie home. But we both knew. Alice would probably end up seeing every single decision we made from here on out. Especially if she was purposefully watching out for us.

Still, that didn't really deter me. It wasn't like I hadn't told every single member of my family what I wanted and what I hoped to accomplish. I was embracing my dark side just this once. My family probably feared that I would become so consumed with human blood that it would be difficult for me to revert back, but really...it wouldn't. Yes, human blood tasted so much better sliding down my throat than animal blood did, but taking human life was something I was still strongly averse to.

I still had no idea how I was able to turn my back so willingly on my very nature.

Cringing at my reflection in the mirror, I just sighed and angled my head back so that I could look at Rosalie. She stood in the middle of my hotel room, which had now become ours, putting the finishing touches on her outfit. The first phase of the plan had been her idea. I'd never really given her credit for being so damn demonic! Her dark side was seriously about to put mine to shame. And then some.

"Why are we doing this again?" I mumbled and adjusted the straps of my top yet again. She heard me perfectly, of course, and ghosted up behind me. A bright grin was stretched across her perfect lips, displaying the deadly row of pristine white teeth and deep red lipstick. One for the dramatics, that Rosalie.

"Because." She shrugged unevenly then lightly patted my shoulders before she motioned for me to turn and face her. I did as I was told, raising an eyebrow skeptically at her as she began to make her own adjustments to my clothing. It'd been her idea to dress me in a barely-there black skirt with a deep blue halter-style top that didn't quite reach the hem of my skirt. My legs were, of course, bare with my feet shoved into strappy black sandals that I could not have worn while human. The heels were at least two inches high. I was afraid to ask how much height she'd actually given me.

For the first time since I'd woken up in my new body, make-up adorned my face. Rose had tried to apply it for me, but a painful memory had that idea sunk pretty quickly. As I applied the thick layers of eyeliner, mascara, and base powder to give my reflection more of a healthy look, I recounted all the times I'd done this as a human. I'd never really been one for make-up and it wasn't until I started getting in deeper with Jason that I invested in some. That stuff had been a Godsend to me when the bruises began to appear on my face. And thanks to countless times watching my mother cover her own bruises, I'd become well-versed in how to hide my secrets from the world. My hair, which was a constant array of deep red spikes, was perfectly jelled into a haphazard disarray that Rose promised would be found enticing. My vampiric features would give me what I needed tonight.

"Because why?" I grumbled impatiently, half tempted to snap my teeth at the brush she was fluttering across my lip. I'd always hated lipsticks of any kind, but this was more of a gloss than anything else. The texture, I could remember, felt different from actual lipstick but gave my lips the needed color to enhance the rest of the cosmetics on my face.

"You need to draw him in. What better way than looking hot as hell?" She replied evenly, the look on her extraordinary face daring me to challenge her. Her own makeup was almost as smoky as mine was around the eyes, but she'd been less dramatic across her cheeks. Her blonde hair was curled and laying loose down her back, emphasising the low cut of her own dress. It was vibrant red, matching perfectly with her lips.

Rolling my eyes, I didn't quite manage swallowing back the snort that had built up in my throat. "You're worse than Alice sometimes, you know that?"

A brilliant smile split my sister's features and she actually winked at me before pivoting away from the mirror in her high-as-hell black stilettos. My ego took a monsterous hit right then and there as I watched the skirt of her dress wrap dramatically around her bare, pale legs. "No one's gonna notice me as soon as they realize you're in the room. So all of this is really pointless if you think about it."

"Piper." She whirled back around to face me then, in a swift movement that I could only catch with my heightened eyesight, grabbed my wrist and began to yank me through the room. "Don't you dare start with that. You can tell when I'm lying to you and trust me? I'm not lying right now. You're gorgeous, girl. I just wish Edward could see you like this."

I rolled my eyes yet again and snatched up the matching purse Rose had selected for this very evening. Every single thing I wore was from her closet. I hadn't realized _just_ how much stuff she bought until the unpacking process began. And there was also the impromptu shopping trip we'd been able to take thanks to the rare day of rain and overcast. "Just think about it when we get home. I'm sure he'll get the full effect then despise me even more than he probably already does!"

"Okay, we've got a new phase two here." Rosalie stopped right at the door and turned to make sure I was following. "We're working on your ego when we get back, just to let you know."

"There's nothing wrong with my ego, I just happen to be stating facts." I shrugged casually then stepped out of the hotel room once she was out and standing beside my car.

The beautiful golden eyes nestled into her perfectly made-up face rolled in their sockets as she waited for me to unlock the car so she could climb in. She didn't say anything until I'd somehow wedged myself behind the wheel and brought the monsterous engine to life. "For someone who can catch lies so easily, it's a wonder you're able to lie to yourself. I didn't think that was possible."

"Yeah, yeah." I muttered and easily manuevered out of the parking lot then merged into the light Friday night traffic. I'd give my sister this much, she'd done her homework. She knew exactly where Jason would be and the best approach to take in getting his attention. If I remembered anything about the boy I used to love, I was sure he would never be able to resist a pretty face.

I just hoped he wouldn't remember brutilizing this "pretty" face.

The drive to the club was made in silence, me too nervous about possibly being recognized for any coherent sentences to be brought into sound. Rose seemed to know what was going on in my head and stayed silent, giving me the time needed to mentally prepare. I was about to lay the groundwork that would ultimately bring Jason North to his death.

Sighing, I parked the car and climbed out, shoving my keys into my purse before I turned to join Rose at the hood of my beloved vehicle. "Thank you." I sighed and almost snickered when I caught her off-guard.

Her footsteps faltered then stopped so she could turn to look at me clearly. "You're welcome. Now what am I being thanked for?"

"Doing this for me." I shrugged and waved around us. "For doing this _with_ me. I was half-certain you'd have the same thoughts as the rest of the family. You haven't tried to talk me out of this once."

Rose sighed and adjusted her weight so that her hip slid out from her body slightly. "Piper, is this something you need to do so you can move on and let go of this part of your life?"

I nodded dumbly, afraid that I would betray myself by actually saying something.

She nodded to then laid a hand on my arm. "Okay, more serious question now. Will you be able to fully let my brother in once this is all behind you and Jason's dead? Is this the only way you can think of to exact revenge and ultimately let yourself be happy?"

That one took some serious thought. But my mind worked fast, an answer appearing on the tip of my tongue before we'd even gotten halfway through the deserted parking lot. "I think so." I nodded again and watched as she stepped ahead of me a little. "If I let the authorities deal with this, he'll never be caught. I know Jason North way too well to believe that he can't talk himself out of "killing" me." I admitted, even using air quotes when I mentioned being killed.

That got a short, almost bitter laugh from Rose before she suddenly turned and slung her arm around my waist. "I know these monsters better than anyone else in our family. Second place would probably go to Edward, but he's never been a victim like you and I were. The others, I hate to say it, can't understand the driving force and absolute _need_ to make them pay. Edward's only been the savior, trying to save girls from the fates we suffered. He's never been the victim, the one left to pick up the pieces when everything's been completely changed and strewn around. This kind of thing...." She trailed off there and I was pretty sure this was the longest statement Rosalie had ever made to me. Her stride slowed just enough to give us a little more time before we reached the entrance of the club, one I remembered going to illegally as a teenager. "This kind of thing leaves the blackest of holes. It's the worst possible way to be brought into this life."

"Why?" I asked, even though part of me was sure I already had the answer.

The smile that lit up my sister's features was bright, but laced with so much danger that I would've backed away if I were still human. Hell, I probably would've backed away, all vamped out as she was, if I didn't know her as well as I did. "We never let go of a grudge. And to be born with one, well...nothing else matters until the vendetta is settled to our liking."

Right then and there, Rosalie Hale sealed her fate as my closest sibling. Not because she was helping me in the task of killing someone. It went beyond that. So far, in fact, that the sheer act of what we were about to do was irrelevant. She _got_ it. She understood why I felt the need to do this, why everything else was put on hold and I actually left the safety of the Cullens' home in order to pursue this. She wasn't going to try and talk me out of it. She was just willing to be there for me and offer her expertise on the subject.

After all, no one could be quite as threatening as Rosalie Lillian Hale.


	17. Chapter 17

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ More liberties being taken, more being revealed. Enjoy._

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just playing in her sandbox._

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**Chapter Seventeen:**

We'd been in the club all of twenty minutes and I was already beginning to feel hopeless. But Rosalie had been right, apparently I looked pretty damn hot.

Every boy in the club, with their pulsing heartrates and sweaty skin was vying for a chance to buy me a drink. The same was happening with Rosalie and one glance over at her confirmed that she was having so much fun with this. I knew it wouldn't amount to anything other than a drink being paid for then convienently left in another location, untouched. No one sold the drinks we were interested in. But it was still weird for me, being in a situation I'd never been in while still human.

Jason North sat in a dark corner of the club, off to one side of the DJ booth that had been recently installed. I could still smell the sawdust and wood that had been erected to construct the booth. A wide dance floor of laquered wood was stretched out before it and packed with bodies. Speakers were strapped to the walls in varying places of the establishment, pumping out hits that were current for the times. Tables, like the one Jason had holed himself up in, lined the dance floor before making way for the long bar that stretched one whole side of the club. It basically felt like a box that had been transformed into a "hotspot" for Valdosta's youth.

"Pretty girl like you shouldn't be sitting here, all alone." As soon as the voice hit my ears, my muscles locked. Clearly, my ears were playing tricks on me. There was no way I was _hearing_ his voice, _here_ of all places.

Slowly turning around on the stool I'd parked in, I couldn't keep the small smile off my lips as I processed the scene in front of me. All the boys I'd been ignoring, more for their benefit than my own, had parted and were looking off in various directions. Expect for the one person standing directly in front of me.

Edward.

"Then ask me to dance or go away." I challenged, letting a wide smile stretch my features before I gripped the bar and began to swivel back around. Even though he was acting like the perfect, human gentleman, his movements were quick as he lightly grabbed my wrist and began to pull me to my feet. My heart, were it able, felt like it was about to jump out of my chest and start making laps around the club.

I officially had no idea how Edward played into the plans Rosalie and I had carefully laid out for the evening. But undoubted, Alice had told him what we had planned. And just like before, he appeared when I seemed to need him the most. It was a shock to my system, seeing his immortally gorgeous face smiling down at me as he backed onto the dance floor. I welcomed his embrace as he wound his arms around my waist and set the pace for our dancing. It was a mellow kind of tune, one that I would probably load into my iPod.

"What're you doing here?" I asked quietly, intentionally pitching my voice so that it didn't rise over the song.

The crooked grin I loved so much was out and he pulled me even closer, causing one of my knees to slide between his as our bodies began to rock together to the rhythm. Of course, Edward Cullen knew how to dance as well. Perfect! "Alice said you might need some help catching attention." He murmered, his voice the perfect blend of velvet and honey as he cocked his head toward the table where Jason was sitting.

I couldn't help the tiny bubble of laughter as I shook my head. "And you being here is going to get his attention how?" I drawled, even tilting my head slightly to look up at him. It was clear that we had some things to talk about, very serious topics, but right then; I couldn't bring myself to care. I was so glad to see him here, to have his arms wrapped around me as the song shifted from a girl named Duffy to the Pussycat Dolls' latest track. This was one I knew all too well!

"Then let's give him a show, huh?" I challenged, flashing him my sexiest grin before I spun away from him and began to dance on my own. I was mindful of the clothes I wore, wishing I'd somehow convinced Rose to put me in jeans instead of this short ass skirt. But that thought process didn't last too long. Edward was right behind me in the blink of an eye, his hips swaying along with mine as his chest pressed against my back with his faced tucked into my neck. Right where Carlisle had bitten me to begin my transformation. One arm flew above my head while my other one around back around his neck and I did something I hadn't been able to do in ages; I simply let myself live in the moment.

Right then, dancing provacatively with the boy that had captured my thoughts since the first time I heard him speak, was unlike anything else I'd ever experienced. Only coming in second to sex. Nothing else mattered as we continued to sway and mold into each other's every move. I knew he was in my head, picking my next move straight from my thoughts. But I didn't care, nor did I want to force the mental block that would keep him out.

I didn't think about Jason or catching his attention, even though we had somehow moved to right in front of his table. Edward was gifted, I'd give him that. I hadn't even realized the crowd parting around us so that we were pushed to the outside ring of dancing bodies. I could feel eyes on me and just didn't care. Not even when Edward's hands suddenly settled on my thighs, hiking my skirt up ever so slightly as I bent my knees just enough to achieve my desired dance move.

The song ended all too soon for my liking and I was spun around delicately to face my dancing partner. With a wink, he turned and began to move through the crowd, his bronze hair flashing vibrantly in the overhead lights throwing different colors over the crowd. My lungs felt winded but it was all a mental thing. I'd never felt more alive in my _life._ Or rather, existance. The DJ claimed a five-minute break, lowering the volume in the club so that people could converse without having to yell. I stayed still just long enough to be sure that I knew who's eyes were on me before I turned and began to weave through the crowd, intent on the bar. That's where I'd last left Rosalie and I assumed that was where Edward was headed also.

"Hi." I jumped then playfully slapped a hand over my chest when Rose appeared beside me. "Having fun?"

There was no mistaking the myschevious glint in her eyes as she grinned at me, idly messing with the bottle of water in her hand. All for pretenses.

"Loads." I revealed then gestured at a nearby table that had just been vacated. We sat down, bare thighs sliding over the coarse leather and relaxed unnessessarily as people milled around in front of us. Even with Rose as close as she was, I could hear every whispered word that passed her lips perfectly.

"When did Edward get here?"

I just shrugged helplessly and looked at her. "No idea. One minute, I was sitting there trying to figure out how to capture _his_ attention, then the next, Edward was pulling me out onto the dance floor."

Her eyes widened for a second, letting me know that she'd seen the entire show before her expression calmed. "Well you definitely gave everyone an eyeful. He dropped by the bar to let me know that Nameless had definitely noticed you."

My heart felt like it was going to seize in my chest, but I knew better. It was just the apprehension beginning to settle in my veins. This was a slow process, I had to remind myself. Rose thrived on drawing out the inevitable when it came to stuff like this. She'd done the same with her own attacker. She'd planned the same for Jason. But then I remembered that Jason and Edward had come face to face once before. "Wait," I muttered and bodily turned to her. "Did _he_ remember seeing Edward? They've met once before, Rose."

She stayed silent for a second, her lips pursed before she slowly began to shake her head. "I drifted over there as you two were dancing. Edward was very careful, I don't think Jason got a clear look at his face. He was looking at you and you alone. Edward didn't even register to the boy. Just another face in the crowd."

Wow, okay so that made things a lot easier for me to deal with. Last thing I needed was for Jason to suddenly grow a brain and remember where he'd seen Edward Cullen from before. No one could forget a face like his, male or female. "Wonder what happens next." I muttered then looked up when a new shadow was thrown over the table. The smell of blood hit me like a wrecking ball, but my initial reaction shocked me beyond words. Instead of being so absolutely thirsty that I feared bloodlust, I was repelled. The scent of the stranger's blood was like that of dirty sweatsocks to a human's nose. Gross and deeply disturbing.

A new song started just as I lifted my eyes to our new visitor. I recognized the band immediately, one of my favorites, and raised an eyebrow slightly. Of course, it was Jason. I recognized the smirk that split his features, something I would have found immensely attractive if I didn't know the darkness that lurked beneath that smile. It was bait, pure and simple.

"I hope you don't mind." He started and his voice made me want to get up and rip his throat out. But I had to play it cool. After all, this was what I'd wanted. "I saw you dancing earlier and noticed that your partner just left you high and dry. It's a new song, feel like a real man to dance with?"

My first instinct was to burst into hysterical laughter. And I nearly did, if it weren't for the almost painful pinch Rose delievered to my thigh. I refrained from jumping and just continued to stare up at Jason like I was trying to decide on whether or not to take him up on his offer. This was what we'd planned for, Rose knew her part perfectly. I glanced at her significantly then shrugged and displayed my best smile of seduction. I wasn't in fear of this boy anymore. I could easily break him in half if the desire so presented itself. I was also comforted with the fact that Rose and Edward weren't too far away. And, knowing Edward, he was honed in to my thoughts. He would be able to tell before I could if there was any danger.

Sliding out of the booth, I smoothed down my skirt and held my hand out. "Then let's see if you can back those words up."

A low growl of laughter filtered through his voice and sent painful chills down my spine. Thankfully, he'd ended up walking ahead of me so it went unnoticed by him. He really hadn't become too observant in my absence. I remembered that laugh. It was on of the last things I'd heard that night, right as something sharp pierced my abdomen over and over.

Jerking to a stop, I wanted to curl in on myself as more memories from that night, memories I'd been so sure I would never again recapture assaulted me. I had regained consciousness long enough to feel the beginning of the trauma to my abdomen. I could actually feel the knife slide through my skin like a warm knife through butter. The pain from that first wound ripped through me mercilessly and I was momentarily stuck. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move. All I could do was let my mind continue on with the sensory rememberance. My eyes hadn't been open to see the look on Jason's face. I'd been too weak for that kind of effort.

The entire epiphany only lasted maybe a second or two, but I could still feel the emotions from that night. The painful truth that I was dying, I wouldn't survive what Jason had done to me. Backtracking almost immediately, I forced a sheepish smile onto my lips as I looked up into Jason's waiting eyes. That had always been his most dominant feature, something I'd never been able to build a defence against. They were so blue, even after all this time.

But something was different about them now. They no longer held any power over me. I was completely and totally over him. The only thing he envoked in me was with the monster that lurked behind my amber eyes. The monster that wanted his blood to slide down her throat as the light dimmed from his eyes.

"Sorry." I murmered and the smile on my face turned almost shy. "I'm going to have to take a raincheck on that."

That brought Jason up short. I knew he'd never been turned down by any girl. Even the ones he'd hit on with me sitting right there. Thinking back on it now, I felt a new surge of rage when I recounted him actually doing this while I was hugely pregnant with our daughter. "Are you sure?" He asked and stepped closer to me as a song by Britney Spears began to pulse through the small club. His hand slid into mine as he tried to make his voice sound seductive, failing miserably. "The night's still young. Where do you _possibly _have to run off to that's more important?"

The wind stirred around me so suddenly that I very nearly jumped out of my skin. I hated that his hand was touching me, that we were having skin-to-skin contact. I couldn't believe that he wasn't realizing just how cold I was to touch. But just as I thought that, a shudder ripped through him. Possibly a delayed reaction to my body temperature.

"Because of me." Rosalie sounded winded as she smiled sarcastically at him then wound an arm around my waist. "I have to get up insanely early tomorrow and she's my ride. I completely forgot and blanked on it until just now." She smiled brilliantly at him just then, probably to further convince him that she wasn't just blowing smoke up his ass.

"Well, when do you want that raincheck?" He asked but before I could answer, Rosalie was gently tugging me toward the door. My arm slipped from his grasp and as his fingers slid over my frigid skin, another chill shot through him.

"Uhh tomorrow!" I blurted out, waving my hand helplessly at him before I turned and actually stumbled behind Rose. It was all for show, purely that. My balance was near perfect now in immortality. But I was supposed to be acting human. I was supposed to be selling this role like my life depended on it.

Okay, not that dramatic but still.

I didn't bother trying to hide the big sigh of relief once our heels began to scuffle against broken concrete. Her hold on my arm loosened once we were out in the parking lot and my hand shot into my purse to retrieve my keys.

"What happened back there?!" She accused, but didn't look angry. She just looked...concerned. An emotion I'd never seen on her face before.

I just shrugged and unlocked the doors once we reached my car and slid in behind the wheel. Not thinking twice, I kicked off the heels and tossed them into the backseat before turning the car on. Rosalie snorted in disapproval but fell silent to await my answer.

"I remembered more about the night he tried to kill me." I muttered darkly then, before she could say anything else, stomped my foot on the gas and let the engine roar deafeningly. Someone was sure going to call the cops on me for doing that. Someday.


	18. Chapter 18

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Here it is! The moment and chapter you've all probably been waiting for. I'm so sorry it took so long for this to be achieved, but here it is! Hopefully I've done your waiting and patience some justice._

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just having some fun._

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**Chapter Eighteen:**

Just as I figured, Edward was waiting for us when we got back to the hotel. He looked perfectly relaxed and at ease, stretched out on the king-sized bed, remote in hand. His shoes had been kicked off right inside the door and the solid black button-down he'd worn to the club hung open to reveal a white undershirt that was still tucked into the waistband of his jeans.

It was impossibly unfair for a creature to look as enticing as he did.

"Everything go okay?" He asked, defly flicking the TV off before vaulting into a sitting position with his legs slung over the edge of the bed.

I just shrugged and flung my purse onto the dresser that hoisted the TV and continued on into the bathroom area. Once all my jewelry was off, loaners from Rose for the night, I didn't waste any time cleaning my face off. I hated wearing makeup and with my new skin, it just felt even weirder. My pores weren't soaking in the chemicals like they had when I was still human, but I still slapped some moisturizer on then began shedding my clothes. I didn't care who was in the room. I didn't care that Rosalie and Edward were watching my every move. I could still feel _his_ hand on my skin and I wanted the sensation gone.

"I'm taking a shower." I announced then slammed the door behind me before reaching for the taps. It was all in my head, I knew that. I completely understood it, but that didn't make my chills go away. It felt like I was literally bouncing around in my own body, just dying to get out and away from the surface sensations and deep emotional memories.

The door opened behind me then closed so suddenly that I barely had any time to react. Another door, the front door, closed just a second later. Edward came up behind me and gently turned me around to face him. The water was momentarily forgotten about, showering the last thing on my mind when his bright gold eyes captured mine. He was ruthless when it came to getting what he wanted sometimes.

"Piper, talk to me." He demanded, his hands forming manacles around my upper arms as his voice turned to almost steel.

"Not now." I muttered and made a futile move to shove him away. My strength was waning, now that I was over the halfway mark of my first year. But I still managed to make him stumble back toward the door as I whirled to resume adjusting the taps. Finally, I just gave up and stepped in under the scalding spray. It couldn't hurt me, after all. The water just felt extremely warm and soothing against my skin.

I could easily sense Edward's tension from the other side of the shower curtain as I disappeared from his view. It was coming off him in waves and I could feel him begin to poke around in my head. For once, I actually let him, welcoming the mental invasion as I let the hot spray hit the crown of my head. My eyes closed from years of doing so while taking human showers, but I jerked upright when I heard a strangled cry from where I presumed Edward was still standing.

I reached for the edge of the shower curtain without even realizing it and flung it open. Jumping in surprise when it actually ripped from a few rings, I glanced up at it guiltily then froze at the scene before me.

I knew Edward could stand still like no one else. But to see him, with an expression of sheer horror marring his features, was unbearable. He looked like a statue in front of me, with one hand extended toward me slightly. I couldn't tell what he wanted to do next and it seemed that he really didn't either.

"Edward?" I asked cautiously, my shower all but forgotten about as I stepped out of the tub. I didn't care that I was dripping wet and probably making a mess. It would be cleaned up later on. My main focus was on the person standing in front of me.

"_That's_ why you froze?" He finally spoke, only his expression changing as I drew closer. "Because you remembered more of the attack?"

I gulped and nodded almost shyly. But I had to hold up one finger, indicating for him to wait so I could turn and shut the water off. Grabbing a towel on my way back upright, I wound it around me tightly and ran one hand over my wet hair. "I guess you can feel everything I feel, if I remember it, huh?"

"Yes." He sighed and finally thawed out enough to gently pull me to him. I struggled a little but he just held me tighter. I guess he didn't care that I was ruining the shirt I recognized now as silk. Hmm, Edward and silk. Something to get used to later on. "I'd been hoping that you would never remember how much pain you were in before you died."

I cringed and ducked my head, pushing him away once more as I could leave the small bathing area. It felt like the walls were closing in on me, having to remember earlier events. The emotions were still running through me and I could only imagine how Jasper might feel if he'd been anywhere near me for this revelation.

"Trust me," I muttered and walked back out into the main area of the room. A small part of my mind registered Rosalie's absence, but just as I turned to ask, Edward shook his head.

"I rented a room. She's in there."

I just nodded and let my mind empty as I searched for something to put on. Edward seemed to realize that I wasn't ready to talk yet and began to busy himself with changing out of his own damp clothing. I didn't really care about what my fingers touched, only pulling on the first comfortable fabric I felt. It happened to be my favorite track pants and a tank top. Running the towel over my head, I sighed then turned and pitched back carefully onto the bed.

Edward, who had just stripped down to his jeans, leaving his chest bare, sat down beside me and lightly touched my arm. I jerked in surprise, the arm I'd thrown over my eyes lifting to stare at him in surprise. "Sorry." I muttered and relaxed, forcing my eyes to stay on the ceiling as I threw my arms over my head. "I wish I couldn't remember that night. I never wanted to know what it felt like to die."

"I wish I could take that memory from you." He sighed then turned and hooked a leg beneath him so he could actually face me.

The silence lingered from there, neither of us seeming to know what to say or do next. But finally, it got to be too much and questions were just piling up in my head. "Why did you come?" I asked and raised myself up on my elbows, legs still dangling off the bed. "I mean, with how we left things and none of you approving of what I'm doing down here...."

Edward sighed and raked a hand through his unruly hair then slumped onto his side, bracing himself on an elbow with his hands clapped against his stomach. "I don't think I ever really had a choice, Piper. I've done a lot of unforgivable things in my past, none that I can ever atone for enough. But I did learn one thing from leaving Bella. It was wrong of me to do that to her, to take her choice and opinion from her, only to repeat the same thing with you. I've walked out on you so many times that it surprises me, your willingness to let me back in."

"I've walked out on you too." I admitted quietly, actually shifting back up into a sitting position. Even though my body didn't need it, I couldn't ignore the urge to move. My muscles were coiling of their own accord with all the tension that had suddenly befallen the room. "Edward, I haven't exactly been _easy_ to be around. From the moment I became a vampire, it's been one confusing mind game after another from me and I'm so sorry. I didn't want to put you through any of this. I should've...." Trailing off, I sighed and let my head fall back, eyes once again trying to stare holes into the ceiling. "I should've let you keep me at a distance instead of just barging in, thinking I could fix all your problems when I didn't even know about my own."

"But you did." His words were a quiet rush through my ears and when I looked at him again, he was sitting up and much closer to me than before. His breath fanned against my face, willing my eyes to close so I could take in his heavenly scent fully. I refrained and swallowed thickly instead. "I haven't been able to get used to you for a second. You constantly keep me on my toes, Piper. Yes, things have been difficult. But that's life. Just because our hearts aren't beating anymore doesn't mean we aren't exempt from the plagues of the world. We just feel things so much more strongly and I should've taken that into account whenever I thought about your need to finish things with Jason."

"But you don't agree with it." I admitted again then instantly wanted to kick myself. Why did I have to bring that up yet again?! My mind was just going to get me in even more trouble with Edward. Especially if it continued mutiny with my mouth.

"No." He admitted and inclined his head slightly before reaching out to take my hand. I sighed at the contact, not being able to help it, and my shoulders slumped. "But I've never been in a situation like yours. Rosalie was thinking about your conversation tonight at the bar and it filled in some holes for me. I can understand where you're both coming from. I was a victim of circumstance. What happened to me simply could not have been helped. I was no match for a disease like the Influenza. My decline to death wasn't at the hands of another person, it was simply my body unable to fight the disease claiming lives all around me. She was also right in saying that you two were born into this life with grudges. Neither one of you stood a fighting chance of having a clean slate."

I could hear the absolute truth in his words. I didn't need my extra gift to know that what he was saying, he meant. But to actually _hear_ him say it? Words couldn't even express how I was feeling right then. Words were on the tip of my tongue, I could feel them forming there, just waiting to be voiced. But I couldn't. I didn't know what to say after that.

So I let my disarray of thoughts speak for me, knowing that he'd be able to make sense of it all. My intuition was right when I saw the smile on his face. It was sad but so beautiful in a way. I'd never seen him smile at me like he was now, and the boy had a wide array of grins in his arsenal.

"So what happens now?" I finally asked, hating that I was ruining such a big moment by voicing a question I thought to be hideously stupid and mundane.

The smile was still on Edward's face but I could see the subtle changes as it portrayed his patience. "I honestly don't know, Piper." He shrugged but flattened his other hand atop mine, still locked effortlessly against his left palm. "That all depends on you, I'm afraid. I know that I haven't entirely ever been honest with you, about everything. But I'm willing to change that, to tell you anything and everything you need to know. I'm done running. If you need me here for this, then I'll stay. But if you want me to return home and let you do this while I wait patiently, I'm willing to go that route as well. I just want _you_ to know that I'll wait."

"But what makes me so special?" I asked, my voice carrying the tears that my eyes just could not produce. This was the question I'd been fearing, the one I didn't want to voice because I didn't know the outcome and honestly, was dreading it. What _did_ make me so special that he was willing to give me the things he'd taken from Bella? Was I really so different from this human girl that it suddenly didn't matter to him, that he would finally be able and willing to let someone hold onto his heart and cherish it? And what was it about my heart that he wanted?

Edward was silently for what felt like an eternity, his expression never changing as he continued to stare at our hands. Finally, his sigh broke the silence and he looked up at me again. "I can't really explain it. I wish that I could. I wish I had the magic formula of words that would somehow convince you of everything. But I don't. I just know that I can't go through the rest of eternity without you by my side."

I nodded slowly, absorbing his words then bit down on my lip almost shyly. "Is that because Bella's no longer obtainable? I can't be a substitue, Edward. I don't think my heart could take something like that, not after all it's already been through."

Again, there was that patient smile I had seen so often during the beginning of our friendship. He didn't say anything, like I initially thought he would. He just leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to mine. Our hands, still joined between our bodies, added to the spark of electricity that was flowing through our lips.

Kissing Edward was never the same experience twice. Each time, I felt something new and different. Like there was another crack in my heart that he had just noticed and could only fix by the pressure of his mouth on mine. This time, it was simple and chaste but probably one of the sweetest kisses that could ever pass between two people. I realized then everything he'd been trying to tell me. He wasn't comparing me to Bella any longer. I wasn't a stand-in for the girl he could no longer have.

"I want you." He replied in a breathless whisper that caressed my face like his fingers would against my skin, his forehead resting gently on mine. "You've helped me let go of her. That's something I should've done a long time ago and for the most part, I did. But it's taken me almost four years to put the memory of Bella Swan behind me. You helped me see that, when you first came into my life, I was just holding on to her memory. She's no longer the same girl she was when I left Forks. Nor am I the same. Our lives have shifted and molded, changing course to make room for bigger and better things. Yes, I was too stubborn to let her love me the way she wanted, and I couldn't fully bring her into my life. But with you...this is your world as well. You fit in so perfectly that it stuns me at times. You and I are the same in a lot of ways, neither of us really had a choice. But, just because we didn't get to choose immortality, doesn't mean that we can't choose the rest of our destiny. We can only take change as it comes and not look back."

I couldn't help the smile that was slow in forming across my features as I nodded. "No looking back. I really like the sound of that."


	19. Chapter 19

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Short chapter! But that's just so I can set up things the way I want. Bare with me, next part's coming soon._

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just having some fun._

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**Chapter Nineteen:**

No matter how badly I wanted to, even with all the ground we had managed to cover in just one night; I could not let Edward stay while I continued my plans. Rosalie had agreed with me, claiming that it was just too risky for Edward to linger in my hometown. Just because Jason hadn't recognized him in the club last night didn't mean our luck would hold for a second time.

So, with a heavy heart, I watched him leave. It stung a little more than I thought it would, watching the tailights of his Mustang fade into the darkness that was beginning to fall over the town.

But as I stood outside, watching twilight fade into complete darkness, I remembered what I had to do. As much as I wanted to draw the first leg of our plan out, to keep him guessing and make him wonder who I was and where I'd come from, I just couldn't. I strangely didn't want to keep Edward waiting any longer than we'd already waited.

Turning on my heel, I just sighed and closed the door behind me.

"He leave?" Rosalie asked, her expression surprisingly somber as she came out of the bathroom and crossed the room toward me.

I managed a half-smile and nodded then raked a hand over my drying hair. The abandoned shower had been completed earlier, as Edward was packing to leave. It was strange to me, him needing to pack when he'd really only been in town for one night. It was probably just to give me some time to myself, but I wasn't going to let myself think about it too much. I couldn't entertain Edward in my thoughts tonight unless I wanted to be so distracted that I couldn't function.

"He told me you had a pretty good conversation last night." She revealed with the beginnings of a myschevious little smile on her face.

Laughing at that, I just shook my head then gestured at her bag, which had been moved back into this room once Edward had checked out of his. I had to admit, it was pretty hilarious to see his reaction to the phone bill Rose had racked up while we were talking. But at least she was able to talk to Emmett for a little while. I could see that she hated being away from him for as long as she'd already been.

Another reason why part of the plan was being sped up. I was sick of having the family separated. Even one member from the collective whole was too much and I couldn't stand being the cause of it any longer. Especially since I now very much felt like an important part of that family.

"We did." I nodded and stretched out on the wide mattress to watch her work. She was choosing my outfit, again, but this time we'd both agreed on something sturdy. I was going to need it in order to carry out the final piece of my revenge.

As I got dressed and ready, wearing ragged blue jeans and a tight white beater; I became dimly aware of the new voice in the back of my head. A voice I could only describe as the voice of my inner child. It was a little strange to realize that I was now having doubts. Not about scaring the wits out of Jason North and paying him back for some of the damage he'd inflicted on me. But for actually plotting to take his life.

I'd always prided myself on not being like them. Not taking that darkness into myself and inflicting it on others. But yet, I was doing that now. By vowing that he wouldn't live to see morning, I was becoming no better than them.

That didn't entirely sit well with me.

I didn't want to become someone that felt undeserving of someone like Edward. Yes, he'd killed. Human blood had passed his lips so many times that he could no longer keep track of the body count. But all of that had been to protect a future victim. Was that really what I was doing with Jason, had done with Dylan? Was my act of vengence saving girls from their violence?

I shuddered at the thought of another girl going through what I had. The monster in my eyes roared that I was right in doing this, planning his death as absolutely as I was. Sighing, I set down the mascara brush in my hand and hung my head. I suddenly couldn't even look at my own reflection in the mirror.

"What's wrong?" Rose drifted up behind me so quietly that only her scent and whirl of air betrayed her.

"I don't think I can do this." I admitted, my voice void as I straightened up to face her. The reflection of her face beside mine was shocked and dismayed. But beneath it all, I could see her understanding. Maybe she'd had her own doubts when carrying out revenge on those who had hurt her. She'd clung to the memories of her death with such tenacity that it was all she had of her human life. Me? I couldn't even remember my human life until weeks into my vampiric existance. Was that what separated us? Or were we just as bonded as I'd been convinced of before? Was I capable of the brutality that she'd delievered to her wrong-doers?

"Why not?" She asked then turned and sat on the lip of the counter. Her hands tucked between her knees, taking a piece of her skirt so she wouldn't flash me. I was silently thankful for that but let it pass.

"Because I feel like I'm becoming no better than them. My father...Dylan...Jason, they thrived on this. They probably sat around and dreamed up ways to torture me. Now I'm standing here, thinking of my own method to break them like they broke me. What makes me so different that I think I can escape the monster they became?"

A soft sigh passed her freshly glossed lips as she turned slightly and took my free hand into hers. "It's not the same, Piper. Believe me when I say that it isn't. Yes, you're causing their death, but you're also preventing a lifetime of hurt for another girl. Could you really live with yourself if you just walked away right now? Went home to Edward and our family with the knowledge in the back of your mind that he was still here, possibly hurting another girl like he was hurting you? Piper, you _remember_ how you felt as you were dying slowly. He couldn't even show you enough mercy to make it quick!"

"I know!" I sighed then groaned in frustration. It wasn't that Rosalie was trying to talk me into carrying out our plan. It didn't really benefit her for me to do this, though the risk of exposure was slim to none. I would take care of the first part, then Rose was willingly cleaning up the mess. She'd had more practice with it than I did, thanks to her first years in this life. Plus, she'd been around a lot longer than I had. "I know all of this, I guess...I guess I'm just worried."

"About what?" She asked and her perfect eyebrows knit together in confusion. "About getting caught? Piper, that's not going to happen."

"I have no doubt that we won't be caught." I waved her statement off with a flick of my wrist then sighed and began to resume my makeup. Less dramatic than last night, that was the look I was going for. "I'm worried about becoming too much of a monster. What if this consumes me so much that Edward won't want me anymore? That you guys won't want me as part of your family. I'm afraid I won't be able to recommit to the life Carlisle taught us."

"That's not going to happen." She spoke with such conviction that I actually stopped and stared at her with wide eyes. The fierce look on her face softened into a smile as she bent her head slightly. "We love you as is, Piper. Edward and the rest of the family, they understand that you have to do this. Carlisle isn't entirely happy about a human life being taken, but Jason is far from innocent. Everyone knows this has to be done for your peace of mind. We'd much rather have you do this, return to us, and keep your record with just two; than turn your back and possibly downward spiral. We're never going to just abandon you because you're choosing to do something not everyone agrees with. We're a family, we take care of our own, as Carlisle would say. And as for the diet? Well, you got us. We won't let you slip up if we can help it."

Sighing again, leaving my lungs inflated for a minute before exhaling slowly, I nodded then pushed away lightly from the makeshift vanity. "Then let's do this." I nodded once and grinned at her with all the ferocity I had in me. "That way we can go ahead and get back to our family."

"Well hell!" She trilled suddenly and climbed artfully off the counter. "I can get down with that!"

Watching her for a second, I burst into laughter when she whirled around and wrinkled her nose. "I've been around Emmett _way_ too much, it's finally official!"

"Don't worry." I soothed, still snickering in spite of myself as we packed up the rest of our belongings. "You can just kick his ass when we get home for making you say it!"

That finally got a laugh out of Rose, followed by her slinging her arm around my shoulders as we left the room for the last time. "You know, I had my doubts about you at first. Now I'm glad as _hell_ that Carlisle changed you!"

"Coming from you," I grinned and even pretended to swoon just a little once our bags were thrown into the trunk and the latch was shut. "That's the best compliment I've ever recieved."

In true Rosalie fashion, she rolled her eyes then flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Don't let it go to your head, okay? Otherwise I won't stop Emmett from chasing you around the house with something sharp."

I snickered at her warning, complete with her pointing at me as we rounded the car to climb inside. "You just want an excuse to wear your nurse's outfit. Stop lying, Rose. It's okay to admit you need a little dress up now and then to keep it fresh." I grinned conspiritously at her, even shaking my chest at her before slinking in behind the wheel.

"Just because you and Edward can't compare is no reason to get nasty." She muttered, goodnaturedly of course and slid into the passenger seat. If she said anything else, it was drowned out by the roar of the motor as I shifted the car into gear and headed for the club one last time.

Once I crossed that state line, that was it. After tonight, there would be nothing left for me in Valdosta.


	20. Chapter 20

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ The end is almost near! Warning you now that this chapter does have an M rating, particularly towards the end. This story's about to live up to it's rating. Enjoy! Things are getting fun now. I apologize now for length, chapters are gonna get a little long again._

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peekin' over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Twenty:**

As soon as we walked into the club, I immediately wanted to turn right back around and leave. There was a considerably larger crowd tonight than there'd been the night before, and the song blasting through the speakers was probably one of the most annoying tracks I'd ever heard in my life. I didn't want to know who was singing, or what the name of the song was. But since I had Rosalie behind me, there was no way I could escape back out into the parking lot.

So I put one foot in front of the other, my eyes routinely scanning the crowd as I cut off oxygen to my lungs. Because there were more people, the scent of human blood was more powerful. I didn't want to suddenly let my restraint slip and derail the entire plan we'd set into place. I just wanted to get this done, over with, and get back home to Edward.

That was what propelled me into the same booth Rose and I had been sitting in when Jason found us the night before. I wasn't sure if he'd been watching for us or what, but just a second after we got settled, he suddenly appeared!

I couldn't understand what had attracted me to Jason North. Now that I was looking at him through new eyes, with the blinders taken off and destroyed, I could see every single flaw and imperfection on his face. It probably wasn't fair that I had the perfection of Edward Cullen waiting for me in Hanover, but even without that, nothing about this boy would have screamed sexy to me.

Jason's hair was longer than it'd been when I disappeared. The shaggy cut did very little for his still-boyish features, the inky black dulling out his tanned features instead of enhancing. The only striking feature on his face were the blue eyes I'd fallen for initially. His eyes were a perfect almond shape, set almost perfectly underneath a wide forehead, but when my eyes traveled lower, his crooked nose destroyed the symmetry. He'd had his nose broken so many times when we were kids that he would never be able to repair it. The bone protruded slightly to the left and the bump on the bridge of his nose stood out more prominantly as a result. His lips were full, his second-best feature, but I could see the uneveness in the corners of his lips. Further ruining the image my mind had held onto and labeled as 'gorgeous'. I'd grown up with this boy though, seen him transition through the various stages of childhood, puberty, then adulthood.

He was still as lanky as he'd ever been, no muscle tone to him whatsoever. No matter how hard he tried to work out, he would just never be able to shape his body any other way. His shoulders were a little too broad for his build, and his waist disappeared into nonexistant hips. Even the curve of his ass, which I caught as he turned away to talk to someone who'd just caught his attention, was a little on the flat side. Apparently he'd given up on working out. He'd always taken such pride in his ass during our entire courtship.

"I was wondering if you'd show." He smiled brightly at me, further setting off the uneveness of his face as he gripped the edge of our table with both hands. His shoulders slumped into his body as he bent slightly at the waist, and I had to once again swallow back the bile my body would have produced if I was still human. It amused me a little that he still had the ability to trigger my gag reflexes after all the changes to my body.

"I told you we'd be here." I answered with a bright smile of my own, making sure to downplay the danger my teeth always held when I overexposed. I didn't want him to run from me. Yet. "And here we are."

"Yeah." He nodded, inky hair falling into his eyes before they got tangled in his short eyelashes. "You are." He nodded again then pushed himself back up into a standing position. "So what do I gotta do to get that dance you owe me?"

I just shrugged and glanced at Rosalie. She waved me on, playing the patient friend almost perfectly. It would just be a matter of time before she found someone to occupy her time until I sent the text message that would bring her to Jason's apartment. Sliding out of my seat, I glanced around then gestured toward the dance floor. He had a moment where he remembered the gentleman his mom had tried to raise him to be, and held a hand out for me to take.

I accepted, but not without my skin wanting to crawl right off my body as he led me out onto the floor. The song, thankfully, switched over and the next track was a little easier to bare. But it was something I knew Jason had listened to back when the song by 50 Cent first came out.

Not letting anything else register, I flashed him another brilliant smile then let my hips begin to sway to the beat of '_Candy Shop_'. Yeah, this was something he'd definitely listened to when it first hit the airwaves. He'd even tried to convince me to give him a lapdance as we listened to this song.

That hadn't happened, but I would definitely give him something to remember tonight.

He came up behind me and gripped my hips, pulling me back against him as he began to grind against me. Once again, I had to push away the violent tendencies threatening to overthrow me as we moved together. I clenched my eyes shut and pretended that I was dancing with someone else. Not Edward, because I would never taint the memory of last night's '_Bottle Pop_' show, but someone else. A random human that I would probably never see again.

"I can't believe they still play this song." He breathed in my ear, lips moving right against my lower lobe as he gripped my hips just a smidge tighter. I wondered when he would realize the differences in my body and his. Flesh was supposed to cave under strong grips, mine never would again.

"I can." I announced and whirled around effortlessly to face him. A small smirk played on my lips and I even wound my arms loosely around his neck as our hips began to slide inward, as if they were trying to meet and stay connected. I tried to force back the memories this conjured, but it was impossible. I'd never been more grateful for my spacious mind than I was right then, concentrating on both the boy towering over me and the memories that were playing out in my head.

Our bodies moving like this with no music guiding, no barriers as I willingly gave myself to him for the first time. From there, the images spiraled out, recounting the few times he'd taken what he wanted from me by force. I refused to focus on any other aspect of the images but our hips. I didn't want the full reminders, I wouldn't be able to keep up my carefully cultivated facade if I did that.

I lost track of how long we danced together, the songs flowing into each other almost seamlessly. But there seemed to be a trend for the night. Each song grew more and more raunchy and our dancing became indicitive of that. In the rare moments that my hips brushed up against his lower body, I felt his growing arousal. It never took much to put him in the mood. I just wasn't sure if I was grateful for that tonight or sickened by it.

"So how come I've never seen you around here?" His voice commanded my full attention yet again. I could smell the alcohol on his breath as he whispered in my ear, my back once again pressed firmly against his chest. He _had_ to be feeling just how cold I was. But he was probably ignoring that in favor of the thoughts I knew he would be entertaining. And suddenly, I wished feverishly that I hadn't sent Edward away. If he were here now, listening in, maybe he could give me some insight.

But knowing his temper, Edward would probably want to rip this guy's head off for imagining me without my clothes on.

"Because I just moved here." I announced and fluidly turned around in his arms again. Shock flickered across his face as he took in my movements and a small surge of victory swelled in me. He'd never see me coming, he was too oblivious to see the danger right in front of him.

"Well," He drawled, his accent suddenly so thick that I had to remember deciphering it in the past. "I'm glad y'all moved to Valdosta. I'd hate to think that I'd never would've seen your face otherwise."

He looked away suddenly and I indulged my eyes, letting them roll in their sockets at his attempt to swoon me. He was just laying it on a little thick and making me even more anxious to have this over and done with.

"Really?" I murmured, my voice dipping into a deep seduction I never would have with my human voice. Pressing up against him, I laughed a little when his eyes darted back to me, eyebrows raised at my tenacity. "And just how _glad_ are you, really?"

The smirk I used to love so much spread slowly across his lips, pulling up one corner, then the other and he pulled me even closer than I'd already been. "Oh I think you can answer that question for yourself."

I could. Something else he wasn't exactly known for; being discreet whenever he got hard.

I hated what I had to do next. I did _not_ want to follow through with this part of the plan. But I had to. In order for everything else to work out, I had to swallow back my disgust. Pulling my lower body from his just enough to reach between us, I did my best to look thoughtful as my fingers danced lightly over the bulge stressing against his jeans. "Hmm, you're probably right." I nodded then grinned and tilted my head back as I fully gripped him through his jeans.

The low groan that filled his throat was the least appealing sound I'd ever heard in my life. He couldn't hold a candle to Edward. Hell, he couldn't even hold a candle_holder_ to the vampire that had made me shiver with that same sound. "I think you should come home with me tonight. Ditch your friend, she looks like a bitch anyway."

My back was instantly up. I'd gained so much confidence that I couldn't stand for anyone I cared about to be slammed. Something that had drastically changed from my human days. But again, I swallowed it back and thought of the revenge Rose would have when she learned his omissions. "She's not a bitch." I defended smoothly, but gripped him a little tighter to distract him from thoughts of my sister. "But I think you might be on to something with your idea of me going home with you."

His eagerness got the best of him and all too soon, I was being shoved away only to have my wrist recaptured. I luckily found Rosalie on our way out and made the phone gesture against my ear and chin. She nodded discreetly then looked back at the boy she'd been talking to. Or rather, the boy that was talking to her.

A mental assesment reassured me, my phone was still where I'd put it; in my back pocket. Rose had the keys to my Charger so there was nothing left to do but follow Jason out to his car.

He'd never exactly been what a person would call graceful. Gravity just seemed to hate him too much for that, especially when he was in any shape of aggitation. Now was no exception. His hand felt uncomfortably hot around my wrist and I could sense from the light pressure that he was gripping me with all his strength. As if I would somehow decide to turn around and go back inside.

The thought occured to me, briefly. What would he do if I just suddenly decided that I didn't want to sleep with him? Not that he was going to be seeing me in any state of undress. But still. Being rejected in his current state had always led to some kind of physical retaliation. It was pretty amusing to me in that moment, imagining Jason trying to overpower me enough so that he could get my body into the car without anyone noticing.

I went willingly though. The entire carride was in silence, broken only slightly by the low buzz of the radio. In the back of my mind, I vaguely remembered the last time I'd been in his beloved car. The car that had come before bills and food countless times over the duration of our married lives. Abruptly, I wanted to start smashing the car, I wanted to unleash the full strength already coiling my muscles and trash everything in sight. Including the boy that looked perfectly at ease beside me.

When we finally reached the apartment, I began to wish that Edward was there. All over again, I wanted to discreetly ask for him to peek into Jason's mind and figure out exactly what he had planned once we were inside and away from public scrutiny.

"Wow." I muttered, feigning admiration as I slowly crossed the threshold of his apartment. The apartment I'd been held prisoner in during the last months of my life. If the walls could only talk.... I wanted to wince as memories resurfaced and hit me in the face. The images were as murky as they were, given my inferior eyesight while still human. "You've got a nice place."

I turned just in time to see him smile sheepishly as he shrugged. But the muscles straining in his jaw betrayed him. He didn't care what I thought of his living space. He was thinking about one thing and one thing alone; getting me naked so he could have his way with me.

I immediately set into action, adding on a calculated layer of coyness that mixed easily in with the innocence I no longer felt. Instead of hitting him, like I so longed to do, I wrapped my arms around his neck and suggestively pressed my body against his. "So, now you have me here. What do you plan to do?"

The smile that touched his face this time was purely genuine. I didn't need Edward's mindreading ability to know what was possibly going to come next. His hands tightened around my waist and he began to walk forward, backing me further into the apartment as he practically glared down at me. I wanted to laugh in his face at the expression. I'd seen it so many times when we were together, his way of trying to convey how much he wanted me. Sex with Jason North had only been gentle and slow once. That was the night he'd taken my virginity. From there, his brutality began to slowly leak through with each passing moment of intimacy.

Yet another thing about him that hadn't changed. He was going to try and overpower me, even though I looked and was acting more than willing.

Jason's hand began to roam from there, pushing my tank top up to expose skin as his lips fastened on my rock-hard neck. There was a momentary hesitation and I realized quickly that he'd caught on. He'd finally figured out that I was different. I felt different, my skin wasn't giving under his lips the way a human girl's was supposed to.

"What the hell?" He muttered and slowly straightened back up to look at me. One hand was sprayed across the middle of my back, white cotton bunched up above his hand while his other had the tightest grip possible on my hip. Just like before, his touch felt feather-light to me when it was probably supposed to be painful.

"What's wrong?" I muttered, my voice dripping with seduction as I reached up and brushed back his shaggy hair. I could see the pieces connect and understanding dawned in his vibrant blue eyes.

"Fuckin' freak!" He hissed and roughly pushed me away. I stumbled back a step or two, just to throw him off a bit. But I couldn't force back my laughter as I watched him react to the unusualness of my body.

"What's wrong, Baby?" I murmered and tilted my head as I slowly advanced on him. He began to back away from me immediately, moving us to where I wanted. In supreme satisfaction, he tripped over his feet and landed hard in one of the dining room chairs that I'd painstakingly moved into the apartment after we married. "You look like someone's just walked over your grave."

"Who the hell are you?" Jason hissed again. He was trying his absolute best to look and sound angry and in control. But the fear rolled off him in waves, I almost inhaled deeply to enjoy the nonexistant scent.

I clicked my tongue lightly against the roof of my mouth and slid fluidly into his lap, straddling his waist as I locked him against the chair. "That's not the right question." I mused and smiled coyly at him. "You should be asking me _what_ I am!" And as soon as the words left my mouth, I reared back to hit him. A small string of laughter once again poured past my lips as my fist connected with his collarbone, causing bones to crunch as his jaw shattered under the force of my blow.


	21. Chapter 21

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Holy crow! I can't believe that this story has reached over 1,000 views! Thank you guys so much for reading it and continuing on with me as far as y'all have. This chapter is rated __**R**__ for various reasons that will come out as you guys read. It's pretty long too, so I apologize for that. But I hope this chapter does justice to all the waiting I've made y'all do. I had to change something in the previous chapter in order to make this one work. It was just a minor change, and you can find that at the very end of chapter twenty. And now...enjoy!_

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just having fun._

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**Chapter Twenty-One:**

It didn't take long for me to get Jason successfully gagged and bound to the chair he'd fallen into. His eyes were wide and bright with undiluted fear. He was finally catching on to the danger I presented to his world. As much as I'd worried about this part of the process, I was nearly beside myself in excitement. Not to mention the power of finally holding his fate in my hands. I could really see why Rosalie had gone after her attackers.

"I bet you're wondering why I'm doing this." I mused and drifted closer to kneel in front of his chair. Rosalie had made good time in getting to the apartment and was now giving me my space. She stood directly behind me, her back against the wall with arms drawn tightly over the front of her dark blue thermal shirt. She'd even changed clothes for this, exchanging the dress she'd worn to the club with sturdy jeans and a top.

The corners of his eyes contracted slightly as his way of saying "Duh!" and I laughed lightly. "If I take the gag out of your mouth, you have to promise not to scream." I warned, my fingers poised over the stretch of fabric between his lips.

Jason began to nod vigerously then and after a quick glance back at Rose, I leaned over him and untied the bandana I'd found in his bedroom. A sigh of relief flooded past his lips once they were free, but he just stared up at me angrily. "You aren't getting away with this, you crazy bitch. I'll make sure you pay!"

I laughed again, the sound much more free than before. Straightening back to my full height, I kept the bandana clutched in one hand while my fists came to rest on my hips. "But Baby," I cooed and perfectly imitated my human voice. "I've already paid!"

His eyes grew even wider, if that was possible and he began sputtering incoherent sentences. I could practically see the wheels in his head turning, trying to figure out what he'd done to end up in this situation. Sighing, I just shook my head and knelt before him again. "You really don't recognize me, do you?"

"Of course I don't." He spat at me, his eyes narrowing into slits. Ha! Like he had a right to be angry.

I pretended to sigh then and gently fell back onto my butt, keeping my legs bent in front of me with my arms slung over. "How easily you forget the girls you've victimized." I tsked him with a soft shake of my head then leaned back on my hands. "I guess I have to start at the beginning now. Let's see if you remember this story, okay?"

I felt Rosalie shift behind me, but I couldn't be sure if it was because of impatience or anticipation. She'd never really heard the full account of everything I'd remembered during my trip.

"I can leave, if you want." She spoke quietly, almost soft enough that only I heard her. If it wasn't for Jason's eyes widening in fear at the sound of her voice, I wouldn't have known he'd heard her.

"Nah." I shook my head and tilted my head back to look at her, smiling when she came into view upside-down. "You're going to hear it all eventually. Why make you wait?"

The smile that lip up her face was as beautiful as it was deadly. We were on the same wavelength, something I was extremely grateful for. She wasn't pushing me or trying to rush things along. She was simply letting me have time to do things as I wanted. Almost as if she wanted me to obtain the upmost satisfaction from finally getting my revenge. I sighed again and flipped into a new position, moving at a human's pace as I tucked my legs underneath me and rested my elbows against my thighs. "You remember the girl you grew up with? I like to think you cared about her very much, you even gave her a place to stay when her daddy decided it would be fun to beat on her."

There were faint twitches in his expression as I started the recollections, but I didn't pause long enough for him to say anything. "Eventually, you decided that you wanted to be with this girl. That friendship simply wasn't enough. She began to trust you more and more, but you violated that trust. Over and over, you brutilized her and took every single thing from her that you could. You tore her life apart and didn't even think twice." I frowned then and slowly rose to my feet, my eyes never leaving Jason as he watched me.

"She may have willingly given you her virginity, but you took her innocence every chance you got. You got her pregnant and made her even more of a prisoner by marrying her. Of course, there was no one to contest the union! You were the perfect gentleman, no one saw the monster that she did. You beat her on a regular basis, you gave her to your friends as some sort of sick toy. Even when she was pregnant with _your_ child. Then, when she tried to escape you and the abuse, you took even more from her. You tracked her down, you beat and raped her. Then you stabbed her repeatedly and left her for dead, dumping her body like trash outside an emergency room in Hanover, New Hampshire."

The full understanding of my story dawned so clearly on his face that I wanted to squeal in delight. But I couldn't. The rage of this boy's past crimes was hitting me like a wrecking ball, tearing at me from the inside. The monster behind my eyes growled and began to thrash violently, wanting to be released on him. His head slumped forward, chin resting on his chest as the truth hit him.

"Look at me!" I snarled, grabbing a fistfull of his hair to yank his head back. He cursed quietly in pain and wrenched his eyes open to stare up at me. The force of my fury was practically seeping through my frozen pores, puddled deep in my dark eyes. "You took _everything _from her, without thinking of her at all! You made her life a living hell and made her wish over and over for death. She would even stay up at night, never when you were around though, and cry. She would bury her head in her pillow and sob, screaming for death to just take her. To release her from the pain _you_ caused!"

A weird sound broke in his throat then and I shoved his head away in disgust. I was careful though, I didn't want to hurt him before I'd had my final say. "You tried to make her ugly." I went on, my voice blending into a perfect balance of calm as I began to slowly pace around the chair. "Do you remember the night you trapped her in the bathroom and sheared her hair off? She was really proud of how long it'd gotten, and had even just dyed it dark red because she knew your preference for redheads. I mean hell, she had even _caught_ you in bed with a redhead! She was trying to please you, to make herself more like the girl she thought you wanted to be with. She hoped that she could make herself beautiful enough that you would stop running around on her and want her only. How did you repay this kindness? How did you take her gift of trying to please you? You held her down, ripping hair out of her scalp before you grabbed a pair of scissors and began to hack her hair off. Do you remember how long she bled?" I growled again and stopped behind him. My arm shot out again and wrenched his head back. He hissed in pain this time, but kept his eyes clenched shut as I bent to right beside his ear. "You didn't care how badly you hurt her, you loved it when she cried out in pain when you were careless with the scissors and cut her scalp, instead of hair. But she recovered." I went on casually and let go of his hair.

His head flopped forward again and I walked back around to face him. This time, instead of going for his hair, I went for his chin. Gripping it tightly in my hand, I pulled his head up and slid back into his lap. This part, I wanted to say with as little distance as possible. "You killed her child. You took your anger and your rage out on a helpless little girl that couldn't fight back. You couldn't stand the fact that your daughter was screaming and crying, only wanting to be comforted and rocked back to sleep. You shook her so violently that something inside her snapped and she began to slowly bleed out into her tiny body." That finally got an anguished sound from Jason, but I couldn't let myself get caught up in the sound. "That little girl didn't even get a proper burial because her mother was so afraid of being found. It's a pity." I sighed and let go of his chin. "You'll never be able to see the pretty little grave her mama made for her. The flowers she put there before she had to start running again."

"I didn't know." He sobbed suddenly and looked up at me. Jason North wasn't really one for crying, but I could see the strain around his eyes as tears streaked down his cheeks. I couldn't be sure if these tears were real, or just fabricated in hopes of derailing me so he could get free.

I felt the vibrations of his body as he struggled against his restraints. All too easily, his remorse morphed back into rage. "That's not my problem." I shrugged casually and grabbed his chin again. Angling his face up, I leaned as close as I could, my breath blowing across his face easily. "You should've made sure I was dead, Jason. Next time you try to kill someone, make sure you stop their heart before you deliever them into the hands of a very capable doctor."

Pushing out of the chair, I didn't bother to look over at him when the force rocked the rickety chair. But he didn't fall backward. Gravity reasserted itself then and I slowly turned back around to face him. "Know who I am now, Jason?" I asked brightly, even smiling cheerfully down at him with my head tilted slightly.

"It's not possible." He muttered and shook his head violently. "There was no way you could've survived! I...you're not supposed to be here." He suddenly roared at me, but the sound wasn't as solid as he probably wanted it to be.

"Oh, but it is." I replied calmly and nodded slowly. "You see, you aren't as alone in this world as you want to believe you are. There are things out there that are so much more powerful, and so much more violent than you could ever hope to be. You think _you're_ a monster? You think that you're capable of bringing someone to their knees and force them to beg for death?"

His eyes were still rounded in fear as he looked up at me again, but there was some dimness in his blue eyes. I advanced slowly and slid back into his lap. A truly feral smile twisted my lips as I laid my arms over his shoulders, hands dangling behind him. "Baby, you ain't got _nothin'_ on me now. You should've thought about how you treated me. If you were to apologize, and actually mean it, I might be tempted to let you go!"

"Piper!" Rosalie hissed suddenly behind me, reminding me of her presence in the room. Glancing behind me, I listened to Jason's struggles as I quickly crossed the room to stand beside my sister.

"He won't mean it." I whispered, too low for him to hear. "He's not escaping, I promise."

She seemed satisfied with my answer and the glittering smile from before once again lit up her features.

"I'm so sorry." Jason wailed from behind me. My head jerked up in surprise as we both crossed the room to hear him better as his sobbing muted his voice. "I didn't know." He breathed and looked up at me with tears streaming down his cheeks. "I really, _really_ didn't. Piper, I'm sorry. I'm _so sorry_!"

"How many more were there?" I asked suddenly, not affected by his impassioned apology. "How many other girls did you beat on and rape while you were with me? Give me one good reason why I should continue letting you taint perfectly good air. It's not like you're going to change, Jason. You've said that to me before. But guess what I learned in my time away from Valdosta? If a man hits you once, you can be damn sure he's gonna do it again." I quoted, adlibbing a bit as I knelt beside him. Rosalie stood ramrod straight on his other side, her hands slightly curled into fists against her side.

I pretended to sigh then and looked up at my beyond lethal partner-in-crime. "See, I might be swayed to believe you." I shrugged nonchalantly and glanced back down at Jason. "But my girl here? Not so much." My nose wrinkled as I shook my head slowly. "See, the same thing happened to her! A person she thought she loved, a person she thought loved her back, hurt her the same way you hurt me. And he left her for dead too." I smiled and straightened back up. "It's really damn funny if you think about it! Y'all are so hell-bent on destroying us, but you never stick around to see if you've succeeded. Hmm, guess if you knew that vampires really did exist, you wouldn't be so quick to leave us behind, broken and bleeding. Attracting the very things we've become."

I looked over in time to see the slow smile that built up on Rosalie's face. She hadn't expected me to make her as apart of this as I had. I could tell that she had resided herself to just stand back and let me do whatever I wanted to Jason. Without even really thinking about it, I reached out again. The back of my hand connected hard with the side of his head, bones crunching yet again as his left eye socket caved. Howling in pain and fear, his eyelid clenched shut and he began to shake.

"Doesn't feel too good, does it?" I asked and knelt back down again. "What do you think, Rose?" I looked up at her casually, almost as if we were trying to figure out which section of the forrest to hunt in. "Think I should recreate all the wounds he gave me over the years?"

"I think he should get at least some small taste." She mused, sounding utterly bored with the conversation. But I knew better. Blood was dripping from the corner of his eye, where bone had shredded through skin. The fire of her thirst was brilliant in her eyes, but she had prefect restraint.

It surprised me that I did too. I had no inclination to feed from the bleeding human between us. I wanted nothing of him inside me. I was finally cleansed of the disease that was Jason North. I wasn't about to taint myself all over again. "I think you might be right." I mused with a sharp nod of my head. "Hold him, will you?"

Rosalie silently agreed and held one shoulder in her iron grip. He screamed as I reached behind him to untie the ropes. I expected it when he tried to bolt. I even let him get to the front door before I was suddenly behind him. One sharp kick to the back of his knee knocked him down, another howl piercing the air as his knee completely came apart.

"Why'd you have to go and do something stupid like that?" I sighed and grabbed the back of his neck. It was effortless, lifting him back up before he went sailing back into the room. A satisfying jolt surged through me when he hit the couch and fell face-first onto the floor.

As I got closer, I recieved the first glimpse of Jason as I'd never seen him before. He'd always been so cool, so calculated in his cruelty that I'd never seen a break in that facade. But now, now he was the most pitiful that I'd ever seen him. Silent sobs wracked his body so violently that he shook. His destroyed eye was still clenched shut but spilling a more steady stream of blood. My stomach tightened and my throat errupted with my firey thirst. But I still had no problem resisting. His scent was tainted.

"Get up." I commanded quietly, no emotion evident in my voice. Rosalie came closer, offering her silent assistance in case I needed it. I was grateful for her continued close proximity. She had somehow become the anchor I needed to keep from turning into my worst nightmare. She provided the link I needed to the being I wanted to be now, as well as a symbol of the damaged human I'd been.

Jason's efforts to get up were weak at best. But, because of his shattered knee, he probably couldn't make much headway on his own. A moment of kindness over took me as I gently lifted him up, but it ended as I tossed him unceremoniously onto the couch. He fell with a whimper of pain, his knee bouncing painfully against the worn cushion beneath him.

"I'm happy now." I announced, feeling some unforseen desire to tell him about everything that was happening to me now. The things he had unconsciously given me in a way. If it hadn't been for his brutality, if he hadn't driven me to needing to escape, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have been left for dead outside a Hanover hospital. Carlisle and his family never would have found me, saved my life, and accepted me as one of them.

"I'm not going to thank you for my life." I went on, my face blank of emotions as he slowly turned to look up at me. "You were just the catalyst needed for me to find my family. They saved my life and repaired what you broke. They took me into their lives, loved, and accepted me for the damaged person I am now. I have a man now who loves and treats me the way you should've. You didn't win in the end, Jason. I know you wanted to break me, you wanted to destroy me so that no one else could have what you didn't want. But you didn't succeed. I'm still standing here, I'm living and thriving and _loving_."

I sighed again and shook my head slightly in disgust. "As much fun as this has been, I'm getting bored now. It's been real." Flashing him a quick and bright grin, I reached out and gripped his face in both hands. I felt absolutely nothing as I twisted my grip, his neck snapping effortlessly. There was no remorse, no apology as I turned once he'd slumped back onto the couch, his broken body finally still for the last time.

"Thanks." I looked up at Rosalie and smiled. She smiled back then surprised me by quickly pulling me against the side of her body.

"Ready to go home to our family?" She asked quietly, a strange sort of spell having fallen on the apartment.

I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth and gazed over my shoulder at the dead body of my first love. The only human I'd ever given every single part of me that there was to give. He was dead now, no longer haunting me. "Yeah. Let's go home to our guys." I nodded and smiled up at her. Kissing her cheek, I lightly patted the small of her back and started for the door. "I'll wait for you downstairs."


	22. Chapter 22

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just playing in her sandbox._

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**Chapter Twenty-Two:**

I didn't know what Rosalie did with Jason's body. She'd never really tried to talk to me about the concealment process that went along with hiding what I'd done. But I wasn't impatient. I trusted my sister. She knew what she was doing.

All too soon, she emerged from behind the apartment building, the small hints of a smile playing on her lips. She slid easily into the car and gently clicked the passenger door shut.

"Do I wanna know?" I teased, even raising an eyebrow as I started up the car and began to back out of the complex. It was so late at night that there wasn't anyone outside. No lights from the surrounding apartment buildings illuminated the night and our getaway. If foul play did end up being suspected in Jason North's death, no witnesses would be able to testify about the dark Charger they'd seen parked outside his apartment on the night he had disappeared. No one would be able to give any identity to the mysterious girl he'd left his favorite hang-out with.

"Probably not." She joked with a wry grin and reclined against her seat. "But I do have to admit, that didn't turn out the way I expected it to."

"It didn't?" I blinked in surprise and glanced over at her as we began to drive through downtown Valdosta.

"No." She shook her head and leveled her gaze at me. "You were so much stronger than I figured you'd be. Especially when he started bleeding. But you just kept it together and finished it the way you wanted to."

I sighed and nodded as I recounted that mentally. "Wasn't expecting that." I mused with a small bounce of my shoulders. Glancing around us, I realized where we were and jerked the car to a stop.

"What's wrong?" Rosalie asked suddenly, gripping the dashboard in front of her as she turned to look at me in alarm.

"My parents' house." I muttered and gestured at the house in front of us. I'd sworn to myself that my previous visit would be my last. But I knew what was in that house. The contents were perfectly etched in my mind thanks to that late-night visit. There were pictures in there of me as a human girl. I strangely longed to have at least one of the photo albums my mother had actually made for me. I wanted to remember as much of that girl as I could, so I would have something hold onto that would starve off the monster lurking behind my eyes.

"I'll be right back." I announced and turned the car off. She stayed where she was, the keys dangled from the ignition as I got out and stole up to the back of the house. My last entrance into the house had gone undetected and my old bedroom window was still unlocked. Once that was pushed up, I fluidly slid through the open space and regained my balance.

The room was still unfurnished, just as it had been during my last visit. The walls were still the faint purple that Alicia had begged Bill for. Nothing of interest was in this room. So I moved on, only stopping when I reached the wide set of shelves in the living room. That was where Alicia Reaves kept all of her scrapbooks and photo albums. There was one for every phase of my life, until the age of six. The first time my father ever hit me. After that, it was just school portraits and candid shots with friends that were taken of me. But a silent thrill of relief flooded through me when I noticed the small, destroyed binding of the photo album I had put together shortly after marrying and moving in with Jason.

It had been a silent gift to my mother, the last pictures of me that would ever be taken. I'd wanted her to have something, an album filled with memories of me in all my teenage glory. I plucked the small black album off the shelf easily and spared a second to flip through it. It was just as it had been when I left it for my mom. She'd never known I put it there.

Tucking it to my chest, I turned on my heel and silently stole through the hallway to the room that was once mine. Leaving the house was just as easy as it had been when I left the first time. I didn't want to see the bodies sleeping soundly at the other end of the house. I'd said my goodbyes already. Like I'd told Rosalie, I was ready to go home. And I finally had momentos to share with my family.

They would finally know what color my eyes were when I was still human, the real color of my hair before I dyed it to appease Jason.

"Told I'd be back." I smiled easily at Rosalie as I slid back in behind the wheel and tucked the album into the backseat. She glanced back at it but faced forward again. She seemed to know that I had something in mind for that. She would see it once we got home.

"You know it's not easy to surprise me." She mused suddenly, yet quietly as we got back on the highway and began the northern trek back to New Hampshire. "But you did."

"I did?" I blinked and glanced at her again. This trip just seemed to be filled with countless surprises. "How did I surprise you?"

Her laughter was musical as she turned on the seat to watch me better as I flicked the headlights off and floored it. "I expected you to be the worst thing to ever happen to our family. We had no idea what you were going to be like when you woke up and I was convinced you would bring us all down. That the Volturi would somehow find out about you and punish Carlisle for creating you. I feared that his hope of creating you for Edward would backfire horribly and make him even more unbearable to live with. I didn't want you in our family at first, but then I learned more about you and I came to love having you around."

I shivered with unfounded fear and looked over at her again. "Can I ask how I proved you wrong?"

She fell silent as she mulled over my question. I was honestly terrified of how she would answer me. I'd never really been conscious of what I was doing while with the Cullens. I'd simply tried to be the best possible likeness of what they hoped. "You were you." She finally answered. Simple, but complicated at the same time. "You controlled your thirst so easily and it surprised all of us. We figured you'd be out of control and clawing to get away. But you weren't. You interacted with humans, you regained your past, and you made choices and decisions you could live with. Yeah, I wish some pain had been spared between you and Edward, but I understand now why you left. There was no way you could've been happy with us while your entire past remained a mystery."

I couldn't help smiling as I looked at her for longer than a second or two. The car didn't veer once from it's perfect positioning in the center of my lane. "That really means a lot to me, Rose."

"Don't mention it." She breezed and flicked a hand at me. We both laughed then she grew suddenly serious. "I mean it, don't mention it."

I laughed again and shook my head before propping my left arm against my door. My chin fell easily into my hand and we settled in for the long ride back to Hanover.

Halfway home though, the silence started to get to Rosalie. The sun had already risen into the sky, casting vibrant rays across the glossy paint of my front end. The windows were so tinted that we didn't have to worry about the glare on our skin. And Rosalie started to dig in the back for my small collection of music.

"Where's your iPod at, girl?" She announced. I looked over and had to laugh at what I saw. Rosalie's ass was up in the air, feet flailing slightly in the air as she disappeared behind the seat.

"In the glove box." I answered and flicked her foot. She jumped and swatted at me as she fell back smoothly into her previous position.

"You're a heffer." She announced, low and threatening. The small device was soon plugged into the stereo and the silence drifted away with the first strains of a song I'd never really heard before now. There was still a lot of music loaded in that I hadn't gotten around to listening to yet, and Rosalie now looked determined to have us visit each and every selection.

Just as the song reached the first verse, Rose wrinkled her nose and glared at me. "Did you find this or did Edward?"

I stayed silent as the song filtered into the car and shook my head slowly. "Edward, I think. I can't remember this one off the top of my head."

"Hmm," She clicked her tongue and illuminated the screen so she could see the artist's name and song title. "_Maybe Tomorrow_." She fell silent again just as the chorus started. As we listened to the words, I couldn't help laughing quietly to myself.

"Oddly fitting. I can see why he loaded it for you." Rose mused with a shake of her magnificent blonde hair then we began singing along, practically belting the lyrics out as our voices overpowered the lead singer of Stereophonics.

The sing-along continued as we made our trek up north. There wasn't a need to stop and stretch our legs, our bellies didn't rumble with hunger for food that no longer appealed to us. We could put all the miles we wanted behind us without having to stop. But just as we crossed the state line into Virginia, I felt a compelling urge to pull over. I couldn't just pass through this state and not stop at the one place that tugged at me like some invisible magnet.

I wanted Rosalie to see where I'd buried my daughter. I wanted Colby to know that her mama still thought of her every day and hadn't forgotten about her. Even though she'd been in my life for only a few months, she'd still made such a huge impact that it had progressed with me from one life into another.

Rose noticed the slow descent in speed as we drew closer to the spot I'd picked to make Colby's eternal resting place. Quirking an eyebrow at me, I just silently begged for patience and pulled over.

"What's this?" She asked and willingly climbed out of the car once I'd pulled the key from the ignition and stepped out myself. There was no relief when weight settled into my legs as I found my stride. I couldn't answer her, my throat suddenly thick with emotions that I could easily feel in my frozen body.

It wasn't until we reached the small, simple stone with my daughter's name engraved in granite that I cleared my throat unneccessarily. "This is her grave."

"Her...?" Trailing off, a quick intake of breath told me that she'd caught on. Her sharp eyes scanned the headstone before she bent to run her fingers over the surface. "Colby Anne North." She mused and smiled sadly up at me from her crouched position. "You gave her a very pretty name."

"Thanks." I smiled and sighed as I plopped down at the foot of her tiny grave. "I'd always loved the name Colby. I'm not really sure why, I don't even know where I first heard that name. But as soon as I looked at her...I knew. She was my little Colby."

The smile on Rosalie's face grew in warmth as she folded her legs and sat on the grass with me, her fingers still touching the tombstone. "Where did you get Anne from?"

I just shrugged and smiled sheepishly as my fingers idly picked at the fraying hem of my jeans. "I shortened my middle name and made it hers. I wanted to give her something that no one else would ever be able to take from her. I wanted her to always think of her name and be reminded of me."

"I don't even think I _know_ your middle name." Rose revealed with a quiet burst of laughter.

I joined in and nodded as the sound died in my throat. "Cheyanne. Every little southern girl needs a southern name." I quoted almost perfectly, smiling sardonically as I shrugged. "My grandmother had always said that. I think my mom chose that name just to appease her. It was a compromise of sorts. If she gave me the middle name of Cheyanne, then she could name me Piper. Alicia Reaves was always big on the uncommon names."

Rosalie laughed again then sighed as her eyes fell onto the headstone again. "Can I ask what it felt like? To have her growing inside of you then later be dependant on you?"

It was only because I knew of my sister's history, of her deep longing to have had a baby of her own, that I answered her question as honestly as I could. It was painful to talk about still, but for Rosalie, I could push off the pain and relive that part of my life. "It was...amazing." I sighed and hugged my knees up to my chest. "I never felt anything like it. At first I hated the idea of being pregnant. I didn't know the first thing about being a mother and there was no way in _hell_ Jason needed to be a father. But he was actually happy, at first, about her coming into our lives. He doted on me so much when I began showing. He'd touch my belly and lay with me in bed, talking to the little life growing inside me. But the novelty of being a father wore off and he went back to his old ways."

Rosalie hissed quietly in anger, the sound lingering around us before I regained my barings and went on. "We fought about whether or not to keep her for months. When he realized just how much his life was going to change, he demanded I get an abortion. I was too far along though and I didn't want to do that. I couldn't kill my baby when I'd begun to want her so badly. Feeling her kick inside me had resolved me in my decision to keep her. Whenever I felt that little foot nudge me, I found the courage to fight for her. Something I'd never done before with Jason. I fought him and fought him, telling him countless times that I had no problem raising her on my own if that was what it came down to. But as soon as she was born, it was like a switch had been thrown in Jason. He was good for the first two months of her life, so good to both me and Colby. He doted on her like any new, glowing father. He didn't raise a hand to me once after she was born and actually showered me with mound of attention and affection."

"What caused it all to change?"

I shrugged slowly and turned my head the half-inch needed to meet Rosalie's gaze. "I can't really remember. When she turned three months old, he started slowly falling back into old patterns. He'd go out all night with his buddies, get drunk and fool around. But it didn't get bad until she was about six months old. I heard the rumors of course, and all the whispering that went on behind my back. Having a baby made it hard for him to cheat on me. The girls he hit on were suddenly growing a conscious and declaring that they couldn't cheat with a guy that had a wife and newborn at home."

"How did she die?" There was no emotion in her voice at that question. I shivered involuntarily and pushed back stray hairs as I finally let myself look at my daughter's tiny grave. If my body were able, I was sure tears would be leaking from my eyes by now.

"She was fussy that entire day. I couldn't do a single thing to calm her down and keep her happy. When Jason came home from work, she had a dirty diaper. I was so exhausted and malnourished by that point that I could barely get out of bed. I was probably suffering from Post Partum Depression but hadn't ever been diagnosed. She was crying because she needed to be changed. And I think she just wanted to be held by her daddy. She wanted to spend time with him after being with me all day. Of course, he didn't like that and I walked into her nursery to see him shaking her violently over her crib." My breathing hitched and shook my voice. Her slender fingers curled easily around my hand, drapped over my bent knee.

"I'd never seen anything like it." I went on, forced myself on in a broken whisper. "Her eyes rolled back into her head and she was quiet after that. The next night, I left him. I packed up, got a bus ticket and got as far away from him as I could. She died here, in Virginia. I dropped her off at a local hospital, claiming that she was sick or something and needed help. I had no idea what was going on. Once I knew that she was officially gone and beyond help, once I was sure that the violence Jason had unleashed on her was the reason she'd died, I left. That's when I came to Hanover." I shrugged unconsciously and looked up at Rose again. "You know the rest of the story from there."

"Edward needs to hear all of this." She replied quietly, her lovely voice almost weighed down with the intensity of her conviction. And she was right. Edward did need to hear everything that I'd learned after leaving the Cullens. I just had no idea if I had the strength left to tell him.

Vampires were strong creatures by nature. Our bodies built to withstand nearly anything. But what did that say about our emotions? We saw, heard, and tasted everything to a stronger degree than humans. The same held true for our emotions. And for the first time since I'd woken up into this new life, I felt completely drained and weak.

"I honestly don't know if I can." My voice fell back into a whisper as I turned my hand and laced my fingers through hers. A sympathetic squeeze tightened our fingers before disappearing.

"I'll be right there with you, if you want."

The smile on my face was small, but filled with the sadness I assumed was pressing against my chest. I'd thought the hardest part would be killing Jason, of freeing myself once and for all from the demons he'd latched onto me. But it wasn't, far from it. I could snap Jason North's neck a million times over and never feel this way. But telling Edward Cullen about the events that had brought me into his life felt like a course of action I would never be able to follow through to the end.

But I had to. Edward deserved that. I _owed_ him that.


	23. Chapter 23

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ This story is rapidly approaching the end, I think there's only going to be maybe one or two chapters after this. Thanks so much to every single person that has taken time out of their lives to read this. Even all of you who choose not to review, I appreciate your time more than I could ever say. And now, here's the next chapter. Enjoy and please feel free to let me know what you think._

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just playing in her sandbox._

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**Chapter Twenty-Three:**

I knew Alice would be waiting for us when we finally got home. So when I pulled up to find her bouncing around on the front porch, I wasn't disappointed.

After exchanging a look with Rosalie, we started snickering as we stepped out of the car. Feet just barely touched the damp grass before the entire family flew out of the house and enveloped us in giant hugs. Alice reached me first, squealing at top volume as she threw her arms around my neck. "I knew you'd come home! I worried that you'd go back on your promise but you're here! You're home!"

"Alice." I opened my eyes and smiled when I saw Carlisle smiling patiently at his tiniest daughter. "Give Piper some room to breathe."

"She doesn't need to breathe." My tiny sister shot back but pulled away and showered both of my cheeks with kisses. I just laughed breathlessly and shook my head as she bounded off to greet Rosalie. The procession started from there, minus one vital member of the family. Edward hadn't come out to welcome us home.

"Where's Edward?" I asked in spite of myself, staring up at Carlisle hopefully as Esme stepped back but kept her arm tightly wound around my waist. I didn't need to look at her to know she was doing her own sort of weeping.

"He's upstairs in his room." He answered and that was all I needed. Glancing around at the gathered members of the Cullen family, several of them waved me toward the house. A bright grin split my features and I took off running. Top speed, nothing holding me back as I bounded into the house and raced up the stairs to the third floor. Where Edward and my bedroom were located.

Just as Carlisle had said, I found Edward in his room, staring out through the glass wall that reflected a perfect amount of moonlight into his room.

"Hi." I breathed and unconsciously jerked to a stop just inside the doorway. I couldn't make myself move any further. Yes, we had parted on great terms and he knew what had lay ahead for me in Valdosta, but things could have changed. His moods were still as wildly unpredictable as they'd been the day I was born into his family.

He turned slowly, for him anyway, and the blinding smile on his face pulled me from my fear-induced stupor. I crossed the room in three long strides and threw myself into his waiting arms. His face buried in my neck easily, despite our height differences and his arms formed iron restraints around my tiny waist.

"I'm so glad you're finally home." He breathed against my skin then started peppering the area with kisses.

I laughed, a high giddy chorus of bells as I rested my forehead against his shoulder. "I told you I'd come home."

"I know." He was still smiling as he straightened up, but moved his arms so he could cup my face with his large, gentle hands. "But that doesn't compare to actually having you here, in my arms."

I could only laugh again as I nodded then tightened my arms around his neck when he brought his lips down to meet mine. I returned the kiss greedily, not caring that there were things being left unspoken between us. I didn't care that our family was starting to file quietly back into the house. I didn't care that I had just murdered a man and asked Rosalie to clean up after me.

Nothing was more important than Edward in this moment. I finally felt like I was home.

I couldn't accurately describe the feeling as he returned my kisses, his hands sliding down my sides before gripping my waist tightly. There was no hesitancy in his touch, but I could tell he was fearful of me disappearing into thin air. It was _almost_ as if he didn't trust what was standing right in front of him. He didn't trust himself to believe that I was really and truly home. To stay.

Someone cleared their throat behind us and I angrily waved them off. My lips wouldn't budge an inch from Edward's dizzyingly rough kisses and I couldn't command myself to stop and put some distance between us.

"Oh come on!" The booming voice vibrated easily off the walls and I knew instantly that our unwelcome visitor was none other than Emmett.

Pulling my lips about half an inch from Edward's, I spared a second to glare at our oversized brother. "Shouldn't you be reuniting with Rosalie?"

"Right behind him." And there was Rose! Come to stop my own happy reunion in it's tracks. She was adamant about me telling the rest of the family what I'd learned on my trip and she probably wasn't going to rest until I'd fulfilled her wishes.

With a heavy, and mildly angry sigh; I pulled away from Edward and wrapped my arms across my chest. Truly sulking, which caused Edward to snicker as he came up behind me and wound his arms back around my waist. "You just aren't going to leave me alone until I do it, are you?"

"Nope!" She chirped and blew me a kiss before she turned and breezed from the room. I just groaned at her retreating form then turned my head up to stare at the beautiful vampire molded to my back. "Think we should indulge her and just get it over with?"

He stayed silent for a few minutes, his face breathtakingly thoughtful before he grinned and suddenly darted to the door. It was closed, bolted and reinforced in seconds then he was standing in front of me again. "She can wait. I, however, cannot."

I could only snicker then, much to my liking, his lips reclaimed mine, picking up right where we'd left off when we'd been so rudely interrupted. I squealed against his lips then snickered when my feet abruptly left the floor. Wasting no time in wrapping them around his waist, I laughed again and broke free from the kiss when he turned and trapped my body against the wide expanse of his black leather couch.

"You keep this up and you'll have to buy a new couch." I teased quietly, snickering when he bent his head and dragged his lips along the exposed column of my neck.

I noticed his shoulders raise then fall back into his body as he began to kiss along my collarbone, tugging at the collar of my shirt in aggravation with one hand while the other flattened over my bare side.

"I can hear you two in there!" Rosalie suddenly shouted, having reappeared at the door to bang obnoxiously on the wooden barrier.

"Go away!" I yelled, surprised that I'd managed to find my voice at all. I felt Edward chuckle against the hollow of my throat and nearly groaned aloud at the vibrations it sent spiraling through my body. There was no way I was going to be able to get up and face the rest of our family if he kept this up.

"No, get out here. Now!" Rosalie responded with a vengence, even pounding on the door hard enough that I could hear the wood beginning to splinter underneath her hand. There was a ghost of a chuckle from behind her and I knew full well that Emmett was standing right behind her, amused as all hell by his wife's display of aggression.

"So getting her back for this." I muttered then gasped as my eyes rolled back into my head when Edward's hand disappeared underneath my shirt and slid toward the elastic band of my bra.

He snickered again, this time against my chest as his nose glided feather-lightly across the area. "She'll run out of steam in a minute."

I rolled my eyes earnestly and gripped his shoulders to lightly start shoving him away. "She's about to break the door down. As much as I would _love _to...." My voice cut out right as his hand fully cupped my breast, fingers digging into his shoulders noticably. "Edward!" I growled and forced him back.

He was frowning as he rested back on his legs, hands falling to my hips. The sight of him staring at me, bright gold eyes swimming with lust and his breathing labored, was enough to make me nearly come undone right then. But Rose seemed to know exactly what was going on and pounded on the door once again.

"Later." I replied and leaned up to kiss his lips before I wiggled out from underneath him. As soon as I was clear, Edward groaned and flopped face-forward onto the couch.

"You're killing me here." He groaned again, louder. But I wasn't sure if that was directed at me or his blonde nusance of a sister.

Once our clothes were back on the right way, hair and other things neatly arranged, I lightly grabbed his hand and yanked the door open. Rosalie's eyes widened slightly as she stepped back, hand poised to resume beating.

"Got the hint." I muttered, my voice dangerously close to a growl as I stepped between her and started for the staircase. Next time she and Emmett were nearing the throws of passion, I was going to do something to completely derail them.

No matter what she'd done for me in Valdosta, she'd earned some payback for her little display.

It took a while, but eventually the entire family assembled in the living room. I was seated on one wide, white couch with Esme on my right and Edward on my left. Alice was on the floor in front of me, shoulder resting back against the plush cushions with Jasper milling around behind us. Carlisle was in the chair to the right of the couch, hand laying tenderly on his wife's shoulder.

Rosalie and Emmett took up the other couch, Emmett still smiling in amusement with Rose actually _cowering_ under my glare. As she should! It didn't take a mindreader to know what I had in store for her.

"Okay," I sighed, frowning a little at how weak my opening was. Edward's hand slid deftly in mine and our fingers laced effortlessly together. As much as I loved his reaction to my being home, and him now holding my hand in front of our entire family; I was still worried. Just how would he react to everything I was about to tell them? He wasn't a predictable creature by any means, and I'd actually liked that when I was first getting to know him.

Right then, I would've given anything for a little predictability. I should've asked Alice if she forsaw any negative reaction from Edward, but I hadn't thought that far ahead. Rather, I hadn't been able to. Rose's persistance put a damper on that plan of action. Plus, I'd been wanting to tell him all of this alone, away from the house and the family so that, in case he did have a bad reaction, he would have the forrest to take his anger out on. Not Esme's priceless possessions.

"I know you're all wondering why I left in the first place and what I've been doing for...however long I've been gone." Seeming to sense that I was stalling, I looked down when Edward lightly squeezed my hand and blew out a noisy breath. It was probably killing him, to be shut out of my head when he so desperately probably wanted to just pull the entire story from me. But my inner shield was reinforced to the nth degree. I wanted to _say_ this to him, not let him pick it out of my brain like some page in a book.

"That's putting it mildly." I looked up at Emmett's voice and childishly stuck my tongue out at him. He snickered then winced when Rose swiftly smacked him upside the head, promptly shutting him up.

"Okay, I'm just gonna say it all." I muttered then began to spill everything at rapid speed, knowing that my family would easily be able to keep up with my hurried speech. "I went to Valdosta to piece my human life together. I had to remember everything, to know the full sequence of events that led me here, to you guys and a life I'd never even known existed. Jason had a best friend, he started hanging around shortly before he and I got together." I started out, keeping my eyes on the frayed knees of my jeans with my hand holding Edward's in a deathgrip. "As soon as I saw him, Dylan, I remembered more of my life with Jason. Dylan had made no secret of wanting to know how I was in bed. Jason couldn't really keep his mouth shut and that probably added to the curiosity. But Dylan was just as ruthless as Jason, if not more cruel. The night I found out I was pregnant, Dylan came into the bedroom I shared with Jason and raped me." I gulped noisily and winced when I heard the shocked gasp from Esme.

Her hand flittered helplessly over my arm and I spared a second to smile encouragingly at her. "So when I saw him again, I couldn't resist the urge to..." Shaking my head slowly, I bit down on my lower lip and released Edward's hand. Climbing to my feet took no real thought on my part, carrying me away from the couch as my arms wrapped protectively across my chest. I felt Rosalie's eyes on me, as well as Edward's. Those were the two gazes that registered in my cluttered mind, forcing myself to continue on. "I didn't mean to kill him, I was just going to see how long it took for him to recognize me. But he never did. I got careless, I wasn't thinking and I slipped up. That's when I went for his throat."

This time, the gasp I heard came from Carlisle. Looking up at him, my heart felt even heavier in my chest when I saw the ancient sadness fall on his features. "Piper, no one can blame you for giving in. Was his body found and were you implicated?"

I shook my head slowly and let my eyes fall back to the floor. It was a bittersweet relief that he wasn't mad and berating me for a moment's weakness. "No one made the connection. All his friends could tell the cops was that they last saw him with some mystery girl. I don't think Dylan ever remembered my name before I killed him. His death was still unsolved when I left."

The air stirred around me and I jumped instinctively when I felt an arm curl around my shoulders then lightly crush me into the side of a larger body. Edward. His scent filled my senses and I closed my eyes to relish in the safety that single sensory taste had provided me. "Once I killed him, I went to see my parents. I had to know if my father was still beating on my mother. When I got there, my room had been gutted and there were no traces that I'd ever even existed in that house. I thought about killing my father, maybe if he was dead my mom could live in peace. But I saw a bruise on her face and knew that she'd die without him. The abuse was too engrained in her for the strings to be cut. She'll never be free of him."

Edward pulled me a little tighter against him, holding me there until I began to wiggle away. "I came back up north, found the hotel room that Jason had attacked me in and that's when I remembered almost everything of my attack. He was pissed, of course, but he didn't know that I didn't have our daughter with me. She died in Virginia and I buried her there. I remembered in that room what I'd done with her body. She was still breathing when I took her to the nearest hospital and stayed there until I was sure of the cause of death. A day or two before, the final straw as it were, I walked in on Jason shaking her so violently. She had a dirty diaper and just wanted to be cuddled by her father. But he wasn't having it. That night, he beat me for letting her cry and lay in a dirty diaper. He also called me every single name in the book. Said I was an unfit mother, that I didn't deserve anything I had and he'd kill me if he was sure he could get away with it. So that night, after he went to sleep, I packed our stuff and lit out."

I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Edward was starting to come closer to me again. I just shook my head and held a hand up, pleading with my eyes for distance as more words tumbled past my lips. "I remembered him finding me and forcing his way into my hotel room. He threw me around that room like a ragdoll and I'd thought that I'd lost consciousness when he threw me across the bed and caused my head to bounce off the nightstand. But I didn't." I gulped and swore almost mutely under my breath. "Y'all were right. He did rape me again that night, then stabbed me. I had recovered just enough to feel and remember all of that. So I backtracked back to Valdosta with every intention of killing him. I wanted to make him pay, I _needed_ to destroy him the way he'd destroyed me. So I went back and right before I found him, Rose and Emmett showed up."

I paused to smile wanly at my sister then looked up when Jasper spoke for the very first time. "What happened from there, Piper?"

Clicking my tongue against the roof of my mouth, I absently shoved a hand into the back of my hair and sighed. "Rose and I concocted a plan to make him pay. We went to his favorite bar and staked the place out, laid the bait so to speak."

"That's when I showed up." Edward's voice was so soft it almost sounded like water flowing languidly across smooth rocks. But I could sense the apprehension behind his words. He'd left Georgia knowing full well about my plans, but probably hoping that I wouldn't follow through.

"We went back the next night and I lured him back to the apartment he and I used to share. I tied him to a chair and made sure he remembered me. That's when I recounted everything, I told him that I remembered every single thing he'd done to me. I remembered the night he'd cut my hair," I touched the locks gingerly, but fell silent again when Carlisle came up to me.

"I was wondering about that." He smiled warmly at me, lightly touching my hair as well before enveloping me in a tight hug.

"I was too." I heard Edward speak again, and there was no burning level of anger to his words. "I also wondered why your hair was as dark red as it was."

I smiled sardonically at him over Carlisle's arm then broke free of him as well. "I did it about a week before I left. Jason had always had a liking for redheads and I thought that, if I tried to look more like the girls he was attracted to, that maybe it would be enough. Maybe _I_ would be enough and he'd stop running around. But the night he chopped my hair off, I realized that my efforts were in vain. That's where the lacerations from my head came from." I glanced briefly up at Carlisle then went to sit back on the couch. I was so full of nervous energy that I felt like I was going to explode if I didn't get the rest of my story out. "He didn't spare me any mercy in trying to make me look ugly. Anyway, he realized who I was after I went through everything, telling him that he'd killed our child and he would never see her grave. I planned on drawing it out, making him suffer for hours and hours on end. So I let him try to escape. His collarbone and left eye were already broken, but he didn't get far. I threw him back into the apartment. He bounced off the couch and fell into the floor. As soon as I saw him, struggling to get up after I shattered his knee cap, I didn't want to draw it out. I didn't want the memories of him laying there, helpless and defeated in my head. I'm not saying that I have any remorse for what I did, but if I kept it up, I would. I could feel it beginning to grow, I could _feel_ myself starting to feel sorry for the boy laying in front of me. So I threw him onto the couch and snapped his neck after I told him that he hadn't won. He died knowing that I was going to live on, I was going to be happy and put everything he'd done to me in the past."

"She's editting." Rosalie announced quietly, but in her ultra-clear voice. I glared at her for a second, but looked over when Edward inched closer to her side.

"How's she editting?" He asked then fell silent as his eyes closed. She was thinking about what I'd said, verbaitum. I didn't have to tell him that I made references to him in Jason's final moments.

Clenching my eyes shut, my body tensed as I waited for the possible fall-out. I let my own shield down and let him into my mind. I felt the familiar intrusion but made no move to hide my insecurities. It was no use to pretend that I feared his reaction the most, that I was worried he would think less of me now with my record bloodied by revenge.

The response I recieved was nothing like the one I'd been expecting. I felt the arms around my waist and my eyes flashed open when my feet left the floor. Edward had me in his iron grip, crushing me against his body with his head buried in my neck. I didn't let a moment's hesitation into my movements as I threw my arms around his neck and hid my face in his shoulder, my legs hanging uselessly underneath me.

"It's over now." He whispered and brushed a kiss over the exposed skin of my neck. I could feel the truth in his words, searing their way into my infalliable memory. A broken sob filled my throat then, just like that, our entire family circled around us, welcome pressure coming from all sides as I let my body cry in the only way it was now capable.


	24. Chapter 24

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ With this story as close as it is to ending, this is the last chapter I'll be posting until I'm officially done. That way, I can just get it all written out, proofed and posted for you lovelies. But, if I get enough reviews, I might be pursuaded to change my mind. Yeah, I'm not above bribery! I have a ton of ideas built up in my head, but there's one in particular I'm wanting to do. I just have a very important question for you guys and will pose it as soon as this story has been put to bed. Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and liking this idea that's gone on a lot longer than I anticipated. It means the world to me._

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just playing in her sandbox._

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**Chapter Twenty-Four:**

I couldn't help but laugh a little as I lay stretched out on the front porch, my head resting on Edward's leg as he played idly with my dark hair.

"What's got you so giggly?" He asked, the smile evident in his voice as his fingers glided over my scalp.

"Ticklish." I giggled again and opened my eyes to look up at him. "Hey! You're upside down."

He chuckled and shook his head slightly as his fingers continued to weave through my hair. "I still can't believe how peaceful you look now."

My eyebrows wrinkled slightly and my legs fell to curl against his outstretched limbs. "What do you mean?" I murmered and felt my eyes close in relaxation when he picked up his previous movements.

"You're much more relaxed around everyone now, there's a peace about you that wasn't there before. You were right in leaving, Piper."

The frown became more prominant on my features and I sat up then swung around to face him. My legs curled and arched over his lap, hands tightened around the skin just under my thighs. "I didn't leave because I wanted to, Edward. Please believe me when I say that."

"I know." He nodded and smiled patiently as his fingers slid over my cheekbone. "But it was wrong for me to think that I could do everything I did and still expect you to be here. I don't know the first thing about loving someone, Piper. Look at the damage I caused Bella."

I winced involuntarily and began to shake my head violently. When he started to protest, I leaned forward and clapped a hand over his mouth. "You didn't damage her." I murmered then let my hand fall back into my lap. "At least, _I_ don't think you did. She was able to move on from you, wasn't she? Alice told me that you went and saw her when you...left."

Edward sighed deeply and he looked down as our fingers twined together then rested in between my flat stomach and raised thigh. "I did." He nodded and met my gaze. His eyes were just beginning to darken with the hints of impending hunger and I made a mental note to make him hunt. Soon. My eyes were finally becoming the golden hue that the rest of our family had and for that, I was grateful. In some weird way, I felt like I would be less of a freak with that common bond holding us, and our lifestyle, together. "I wasn't really thinking or planning on it. The night I left...left you alone in your bedroom after coming on as strongly as I did, I didn't have a plan set."

I couldn't help the small sigh of longing as I recounted the better aspects of that night.

One of his perfectly shaped eyebrows arched slightly and a light chuckle passed his lips. Oops! He was preview to every thought I was having right then, and I could hear Jasper inside wince when my emotions barreled through the wall and into him.

"Back to what we were talking about." I muttered and nodded in absolution then fell silent so he could go on.

"I wasn't really sure what I would find when I reached La Push. I can't remember what I've told you, and what I haven't."

"You haven't told me much about your time with Bella, and in Forks." I admitted honestly. It surprised me that I didn't feel hurt by my revelation. Edward had never really pressed me for information that I was unwilling to give in the past, and I had to extend that same courtesy. He would tell me in his own time, a mantra I'd developed very early on with the beautiful vampire sitting in front of me.

He smiled sheepishly and reached up to rake a hand through his impossibly unruly hair then sighed. "We have a treaty with the tribe in La Push, about fifteen miles away from Forks. We created it a long time ago, when we first decided to settle in that area. It was so long ago that Alice and Jasper hadn't joined us yet."

My eyes widened as I mentally tried to add up the stretch of time. But I soon gave up, too impatient to hear the rest of the story to be sidetracked. "What all does the treaty entail?"

"We promised that we weren't immediate threats to the humans in the area. With the histories of the Quileute tribe, we have become their only enemy. But Carlisle somehow convinced their leader, Ephram Black that we weren't a threat. If we agreed to never harm another human being, as well as stay off their lands, they wouldn't expose us for what we were. That included creating more vampires. If we did so, they were free to rage war on us."

A broken gasp flooded past my lips and my hands sprayed across my face as I stared up at him in horror. "Edward...no."

He smiled at me again and gently pulled my hands back into my lap. "It's okay. You didn't violate anything, I promise. The boy that Bella married, Jacob Black, is Ephram's great-grandfather. I told him about you when I went to visit them."

Blinking in surprise, I could only nod and stay silent as he went on with his own story. It was refreshing to hear him recounting something after all the time I'd spent searching for my own truths and hidden revelations.

"I did see Bella while I was there and I realized just how much she'd moved on from where I'd left her now four years ago. She was about four months pregnant by Jacob and very happy. I stayed just long enough to have that reaffirmed. She healed and actually told me that I needed to let her go. And I did. Seeing her again, and the life she'd built for herself in my absence, gave me the closure I'd never even known I needed."

"That's why you came looking for me." I surmised with a soft smile of my own. Suddenly, I felt like I owed this girl a lot. Not only did I owe her for the revelations she'd given to Edward. But I owed her for giving him what he needed to move on. To stop comparing us and give me a chance.

"It is." He smiled and nodded then brought my hands up to his face. Kissing each knuckle on both hands, my eyes rolled jokingly before I grew serious.

"I still don't understand why you chose to move on with me. What makes me so special, Edward?"

"You're you." He answered simply, as if there was no other need or reason beyond what he'd just said. "You are like Bella in so many ways, yes. But you're so very different at the same time. You helped me see that I was holding on tightly to the ghost of a love that could never be recovered. Bella moved on, made herself happy with a new person to love, and it was time for me to do that myself. Even after everything you've endured, most of which you didn't know when you were born into our family, you were so open. There's always been this innocence about you that I've never encountered. You completely enthralled me and I've never been able to escape you, believe me, I tried."

I laughed then and lightly swatted at him. He jokingly pitched back, his back bouncing mutedly against the wood underneath us then he straightened back up. The silence lingered for a few minutes, neither one of us really knowing what to say. But it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, it felt nice.

Shifting my posture, I once again reclined against Edward, this time leaning against his chest with his arms drawn loosely around me. I smiled softly and relaxed fully, my eyes drifting closed before new sounds reverberated inside.

I sat up instantly with a wicked little grin playing on my features. Emmett and Rosalie had slipped into the back of the house and headed up for their bedroom. "Edward," I started and glanced up at him over my shoulder.

His answering smile was just as malicious as mine felt as he raised an eyebrow curiously. "Yes, my love?"

I giggled in spite of myself at the new nickname and jerked a thumb toward the house. "What do you think Rose and Emm are up to?"

Edward pursed his lips like he needed time to think then gently pushed me up to my feet. I rose willingly and turned to face him. "They're doing the exact thing they kept us from doing when you got home."

"Oh!" I sputtered then quickly raced into the house. Edward was hot on my heels, both of us smiling angelically at Esme as she was leaving. She knew what was going on with the others as well.

"Behave." She called out after us, but we weren't really inclined to listen. I made it up to the second floor before Edward and wasted no time in bursting into the couple's room. Rose and Emmett were ready and raring to go, clothing already scattered on the floor with their tangled bodies on the bed Rosalie was desperate to keep.

"Hey you two!" I sang out, laughing as I launched myself onto the bed and began bouncing lightly on the mattress. Right then, I felt like an obnoxious four year old busting her parents when they were trying to have sex.

"Get out!" Emmett roared, not the last bit amused by our intrusion. Edward came in next, a bright grin splitting his features as he got his shirtless brother in a headlock.

"Oh." I stopped and looked down innocently at Rose, who was scowling up at me from her position on the bed. Her top was also gone, leaving her in her jeans and bra. Blonde hair was the unruliest I'd ever seen, no doubt tousled by her love's fingers. "Were you two trying to do something up here?"

"Yes." She hissed and rose to her knees. "I love you, Piper. But if you don't get out _right now_...."

"What?" I smiled and mocked her, setting my features into a comical version of her angry glare. "You'll dismember and torch me?"

"Yes." She hissed again then flopped back with her arms falling over her head. "I'm not going to apologize for busting you two up the other day."

"Hmm." I pondered that for a second then started jumping up and down on the mattress. My bounce was so forceful that Rosalie actually flailed a couple of times before she pitched over the side of the bed, her rock-hard body hitting the floor with a pretty loud thud.

"Whoops!" I shrieked and laughed, vaulting off the bed to start running past Emmett. "Looks like you two won't be getting busy for a while! Hope it was worth it!"

Edward was shadowing me yet again as we barreled through the second floor and up to the third, where our bedrooms were still located. Only, the room I used to occupy was still empty. Upon returning home, Edward had made it pretty clear that the only room I would be calling mine would have his belongings in it as well.

"They're going to kill us." I snickered, smiling brightly up at him as he backed me into our bedroom.

"Probably." He mused with a smirk of his own, hands clapping gently over the curve of my hips. The back of my knees soon found the bed we'd moved into his room from mine and I squeaked when I pitched backward. Edward laughed and fell on top of me, having no fear that he would hurt or crush me with the sudden addition of his weight. He shifted quickly over me, laying beside me with one knee lodged between mine. "But personally, I can't think of a better way to go out. Them thoroughly annoyed, smile on my face."

"That sounds pretty perfect to me too." I snickered, only to have the sound become muffled by his lips. My arms looped gracefully around his neck, bringing him closer as our tongues quickly met and began to tangle together for room in my mouth. I knew Rose and Emmett would hear us and probably try to deliever some payback if they hadn't regained the mood we'd just disrupted.

Either way, I didn't really care. I was finally happy. There wasn't anything dark and sinister looming on the horizon and I was free to enjoy the being stretched out lazily atop me.

But before things could grow in heat, he pulled away and stared down at me intently. "What would you said I proposed a trip?"

Blinking up at him, a frown momentarily stretched my features before it faded with my curiosity. "I'd ask where you wanted to go."

"I'd like you to meet Bella." He announced and a silent thrill of fear shot through me. Was he _serious_?! Didn't he know that the current girlfriend and the ex-girlfriend meeting was never a good idea? No matter how many centuries it took to get used to the idea.

"Are you for real?" I blurted out and sat up on my elbows. He fell beside me again and propped his upper body up on his own elbow, one hand still flat against my stomach.

"Very for real." He mocked me, grinning as he winked. But all too soon, his features smoothed into the seriousness he was trying to keep in our conversation. "I think it'd be a good idea for you two to meet. And, I do have to confess, I would like to see the baby she was carrying when I last saw her. I'm always going to worry about her, Piper."

"I understand." I sighed. And I did. There would always be a place in Edward's heart that was reserved for the one and only Bella Swan. But it was warming to know that I now had a place right alongside her. The jealous little monster in me just wondered if my section was bigger or smaller than hers.

"I tell you what." I announced and sat up, curling my legs underneath me as his stance shifted to accomodate my movements. "Call her and see if that's something she'll want. I don't want to ambush the girl. She has to agree to it or I'm not budging."

"It's a deal." He nodded sternly then the brightest grin split across his features as he leaned forward to kiss me. My lungs soon began to ache but I didn't need the missing oxygen in order to survive. I didn't really need anything to survive but my family.

"One more thing!" Edward announced and I fell back onto the bed with a very unlady-like groan of my own. "Humor me." He pleaded and leaned over my upper body as his fingers molded against my cheek. "When we do this, I'd like for you to officially be Piper Cullen."

I didn't hide my confusion as I frowned up at him sullenly. "I already _am_ a Cullen. How much more official can it get? I have the papers to prove it!"

His laugh was patient then he leaned down and brushed his lips across mine before pulling away again. "I mean officially as it, well, we are the only ones in the family that aren't attached to each other in each and every way. And I'm pretty sure death voids your previous marriage."

My heart jumped up into my throat as soon as I heard the last word of his statement. Marriage?! _What_?!

"Be serious." I deadpanned and lightly pushed him off me so I could sit up again. Where was all of this nervous energy coming from anyway?! It was seriously starting to annoy me. "Edward, we're vampires. Is that sort of thing even _legal_ for us?"

"It is." He nodded in earnest again, still stretched out beside me. "But only because we're pretending to be humans. The dates of birth on our driver's liscenses state that we're now of legal age to marry. And I want that with you, Piper. I want to give you the kind of marriage you should have gotten in your human life. I want you to have _everything_ you should've been given before."

As much as I wanted to deny him, to hide behind the fears that had plagued me in my human days, I just couldn't. How was it fair to enter into the sanctity of marriage so whole-heartedly with a monster like Jason, but yet when the opportunity presented itself with Edward, I ran?

It just wasn't possible. So, after a few seconds' silence to make him sweat, I just grinned widely and nodded. I laughed breathlessly when his body collided against mine, making it sound like a mini-avalanche was happening in our room.

"Yes!" I squealed and leaned up to rain Edward's perfectly frozen face with kisses. "A thousand times yes! But!" I broke off suddenly and pointed up at him. "You're telling Alice."

Opening his mouth to say something, the only sound that escaped was a loud squeal from the first floor. I instantly recognized Alice's high-pitched squeal and laughed quietly. "Or not. Why do we like having a psychic in the house again?"


	25. Chapter 25

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ Since I'm now in the process of writing the final chapter, I figured I'd go ahead and start posting the conclusion. Thanks so much for the reviews, for taking the time out to read what I've written, and for boosting my love for writing. I really appreciate it and keep the critiques comin'!_

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Twenty-Five:**

Once Alice got going on a project, there was just no stopping her. As soon as she saw the vision of Edward and I marrying, she was off and running. Rosalie and Esme had, of course, joined in to help; rendering me completely useless.

Not that I minded, but I did want to be included. I hadn't really had a formal wedding with Jason and after a lot of thought and consideration, I decided that this was the marriage that counted. Nothing from my human life was carrying over into my vampiric existance. And that meant that I was treating this as my first time marrying. Edward was gracious enough to let me have my illusions, claiming it was comical how we had trashed virtues left and right with our courtship.

In the days leading up to the small wedding that had been thrown together, I learned even more about the Cullens' history. Namely the cousins from Denali. They wanted to be present for the vampiric nuptuals and I was anxious to meet the beautiful creatures that I'd heard so much about from Carlisle.

Another surprise came in the form of an Alice vision, as I called it. Bella and Jacob had accepted their invitation and were coming to visit. I would be meeting the human girl that had opened Edward's heart just forty-eight hours before I married the vampire she had fallen so absolutely in love with.

If this didn't have the makings for a soap opera, I didn't know _what_ would! But it felt oddly fitting, to have the past coming together to start a new future.

I strangely wasn't stressed at all. Whatsoever.

The other women in my family on the other hand? Not so much on the stress-free tip.

Breezing into the house after an impromptu hunting trip with Jasper and Emmett, I was nearly knocked over by the tiny black blurr that had become Alice. Jasper broke off immediately and headed upstairs, Emmett following suit as soon as the words _wedding_ and _dress_ had been murmered from the other room. But when I heard new voices, my curiosity got the better of me.

Instead of escaping as the other two had, I wandered into the spacious dining room that was momentarily converted for wedding plans and stopped short when four breathtaking women and one exotically beautiful man turned to face me. Their attributes ranged wildly along the spectrum, but I easily recognized the three sisters; Kate, Tanya, and Irina. They were grouped together with the exotic male and his mate standing closely nearby. They had to be Carmen and Eleazar.

"Hey." I muttered, feeling rather lame as I lifted my hand to wave before it fell back to my side.

The tall vampire with strawberry blonde curls smiled dazzlingly at me then suddenly lurched to my side. She was deceptively quick in enveloping me in a hug, needing no hinderance or pretenses to reside between us. "You must be Piper!" She spoke in a clear, bell-like voice, still smiling when she pushed me back to arm's length.

I just smiled bashfully and nodded, feeling very inferior next to this gorgeous women. Who may or may not have had a past with Edward. Well, she had insanely good taste in men, and I could see the attraction she presented. I just had to work to swallow back the jealousy that was threatening to swallow me whole.

"We've heard so much about you." The next, who was introduced to me as Kate, stepped forward and lightly grasped my hand. Her skin, which I expected, felt just as smooth and solid as mine. Only one of many common bonds between our families.

"Only good things, I hope." I cracked and managed a weak smile as I rested one hip carefully against the lip of the table. The energy was, for the most part, relaxed in the dining room. But there was a small layer of tension that I just could not escape from. I couldn't get it out of my head, these women and this man were extremely important to my family. I _needed_ them to like me.

"Very good things." Kate nodded her agreement then looked over when the last sister, Irina nodded as well.

"Not all of it was good, though." The tall brunette with short, close-cropped hair announced, her arms drawn tightly over her chest. But before she could say anything, the female vampire I now knew to be Carmen, took up where she'd left off.

"Edward told us a little of your history." She announced, her Spanish voice hinting at the sadness she might have felt upon hearing my story. Her mate, Eleazar stood immobile at her side, his bright golden eyes trained expertly on me. "I apologize, we were terribly curious about how you came to join the Cullens."

I nodded slowly and smiled wistfully when I picked up on something that she hadn't really wanted to know. "Especially since y'all were counting on Bella to be in my place."

Everyone, including the women in my family, stared at me in shock and I had to laugh lightly as I shook my head. "I don't mind, really." I announced and held my hands up slightly to defuse the situation. "I just...I kinda figured you wanted to say that, but wouldn't let yourself."

"This one is very gifted." Eleazar spoke for the very first time, his deep voice thick with his heritage. "You are aware of your capabilities, yes?"

"You mean the lying thing?" I asked casually, gesturing at my stomach before I pointed a finger toward my brain. "And I know I can keep Edward out of my head when I want to. Is that what you're talking about?"

"It is." A new voice greeted us and I jumped visibly when Edward suddenly came up behind me. My body relaxed instantly and I leaned back against his smooth, stone chest. "Eleazar has the gift of seeing the potential in new vampires. He used to work for the Volturi."

"Really?" I looked up at Edward in surprise, knowing that my eyes probably looked about as big as quarters right then. The women surrounding us snickered mutedly but I let it go. I had only ever heard about the Volturi once, and that had been shortly after I awoke to this new life. "I haven't heard much about them. What did you do for them?"

The smile on Eleazar's face was kind, but before he could launch into any kind of tale, Esme stepped forward. "Let's all go to the living room, okay? That way we're not all just standing around."

Everyone accepted and I followed willingly. Course, there wasn't much I could do anyway with Edward pushing me ahead of him gently.

We reconviened, everyone stretching out for comfort that our bodies didn't nessessarily need. But it was good practice for me. We wouldn't be able to stay in Hanover much longer, ages were being stretched beyond the realistic points. I had decided during my ride with Rosalie that I would start attending school the next time. I was officially past the newborn phase now, my strength had already leveled out and my eyes were always bright gold after successfully hunting. I'd never really had a problem obstaining from human blood, so my family was now appeased with my choice to start school.

"Okay, so what all do I need to know about the Volturi?" I asked as soon as we were situated. Edward had flopped down in the chair next to the couch and unceremoniously pulled me down into his lap. But it was a welcome gesture, I loved how candid he was able to be with me now. Especially with all the plans and preparations going on around us. "What did you do for them?"

"I worked in their guard, helping to discover gifts among the newborn vampires." He started, then soon launched into the history of the royal family that resided in Italy. Strangely, I wanted to meet these elders, that deemed themselves the protectors of our existance. Carlisle had grown close to the three leaders during a long stint in Italy, after he was first born. But if I was being honest with myself, mostly I just wanted to see the ancient city.

I'd never really confided in Edward my desire to see worlds beyond what I'd already experienced as a human, then later as a vampire. Eternity was stretched out before us now, but I wondered how he would feel if I asked to start traveling.

Eleazar mapped out his entire existance with the Volturi for me then the conversation just seemed to flow on from there. There was no time limit to our conversations, one topic flowing fluidly into the next. And there was laughter. So much laughter as the Denali sisters recounted tales from their time with the Cullen family.

I loved hearing all about it, I was even able to laugh along with everyone else as Tanya recalled the times she tried to make a pass at Edward, only to have her advances gentlemanly rebuked.

As we sat there talking, acting the way an extended family was truly supposed to act, I could hear a car slowly approaching the house. Thinking it was just Carlisle coming home from his shift at the hospital, I didn't pay the automobile any mind.

It wasn't until a glittering smile lit up Alice's face. "She's here!" She announced then shot to her feet and quickly darted out of the house.

Blinking in surprise, I just looked back at Edward and frowned when I saw the look on his face. Whoever was approaching the house had my husband-to-be on edge.

"Who's here?" I asked and rose to my feet, turning to face Edward as he followed suit.

"Bella and Jacob." He replied then surprised me by holding out his hand to me. A smile slowly lit up his features and lightened his golden eyes beautifully. "Want to come with me outside to greet them?"

As much as I wanted to say no, as much as I wanted to kick and scream, demanding this girl get nowhere near him; I knew that it was illogical for me to be reacting this way.

The bonds between Edward and Bella would never disolve. The love they had once felt for each other would always be there, holding them in each other's hearts in a way that I could never fully understand because I wasn't there during their short, whirlwind courtship.

But I trusted Edward. And I trusted the young woman now timidly approaching the front porch. So I smiled, slid my hand into his and nodded bravely. "Let's go meet Bella and Jacob."


	26. Chapter 26

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

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**Chapter Twenty-Six:**

I'd wondered what it would be like to meet Bella Swan probably a thousand different times. What would she be like, what would she _look_ like? But to actually have it happening took some serious getting used to.

I made it as far as the porch before I stopped, my arms curling protectively against my chest as I watched Edward cross the yard and smile as he welcomed our new guests. I felt Tanya come up beside me, but didn't look at her. My eyes were too focused on the tiny brunette slowly making her way across the yard, a tiny bundle in her arms. By the color of the blanket, I couldn't tell if she was holding onto a boy or a girl.

Suddenly, a flash of images sounded off in my head. I wasn't expecting the onslaught and gasped aloud as my eyes clenched shut. I couldn't stop the barrage of memories, no matter how hard I tried. The trail didn't have an end in sight, like a repeat button had been attached somewhere and locked in place.

The memories of me carrying my own baby were murky, but shockingly clear through my human eyes. I remembered every single detail I could about the day I'd brought Colby home from the hospital. I could remember Jason hovering protectively at my side, fearing I would become too weak to support the tiny baby in bright pink blankets.

"Are you okay?" Tanya's voice broke the stream of images easily and I actually smiled sadly up at her.

"Yeah." I nodded, noticing that my trip down memory lane had been so quick that Bella had only taken two or three steps toward us. No real time had been lost and the only one who noticed was Edward. The frown was prominant on his features and I shook my head in hopes of wiping it away. Of course the traitor would want to see inside my head. So I promptly slid the shield between us and focused on what was going on in front of me. I wasn't about to make this about me.

"You must be Piper." Bella smiled warmly up at me, her arms tightening around the baby in her arms as she slowly climbed the stairs. I could see the attraction she held for Edward as she drew closer. Her hair hung in soft brunette waves down her back, pinned carefully behind her ears with milk chocolate eyes that were strangely open and expressive. She was still tiny and I noticed her body had snapped right back into place after the birth of her child.

"And you must be Bella." I greeted, smiling as I stepped back so she could fully clear the porch landing. The infant in her arms let out a shocked wail for attention and she looked down quickly to see what was wrong. "Sorry." Her cheeks flushed attractively as she looked up at me again. "Still not used to all of this."

"No worries." I smiled then braved a step closer to Bella to peer down at the bundled baby in her arms. A little boy with eyes exactly like his mama's, but facial features that resembled his father. Who just so happened to be the abnormally tall Indian walking toward the porch with Edward keeping stride easily dispite the height difference. "He's probably just wanting out of the blanket." I muttered and gestured at the little boy.

That simple statement earned shocked glanced from not only Bella, but Tanya, Jacob, and Edward; who had just joined us on the porch.

"Oh!" Bella blushed again then willingly turned when we were suddenly herded into the house by Carlisle, who had picked the couple up from the airport. Braving a glance at Edward, his hand slipped into mine as we stepped inside. It was right then that the full power of Bella's scent hit me. Like a wrecking ball.

Gasping just loud enough for the vampires and werewolf to hear me, I jerked back and held up a finger when Edward paused to look at me questioningly. Understanding dawned on his face quickly and he quietly excused us from the group. Not bothering with the stairs, I hopped over the railing and sighed as I closed my eyes and lifted my face toward the sky. I didn't care that the sun was out and glittering off my exposed skin. I didn't care that the air was twinged with oncoming rain. Nothing mattered but wiping the scent of Bella's blood from my nostrils. She wasn't the upmost tantilizing thing I'd ever smelled, but she did make my restraint thrash a little.

"I'm guessing you caught a whiff." Edward announced with a quiet chuckle as he came to stop beside me. I glared at him for a second then relaxed as I nodded.

"I did. And I have to say, you have some scary self-control to have had a relationship with that girl."

He shrugged and looked at the crop of trees directly in front of us. "It wasn't what I'd like to call easy." He offered out quietly, his voice low and velvety as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I was constantly worrying about hurting her. Control was really tested and ultimately led to my leaving."

"Why did you do that?" I asked and suddenly turned to face him, my arms still locked across my chest. "That's the one thing you've never told me. And I've heard Jasper whispering about it with Alice but I never wanted to intrude. What could she have _possibly_ done that made you turn your back on your life?"

Another sigh fell from his lips as he continued to stare at the lining of trees. Slowly, and with a lot of effort, his eyes glided back to meet mine as he shrugged once more. "Alice threw Bella a party for her eighteenth birthday. She didn't want to celebrate it and I learned later the reason why. She cut herself while opening a present, the present Alice and I were giving her. Jasper lunged, I reacted, then later realized that having her in my life, in our world was just too dangerous for her. I was always going to lead her head-first into danger if I stayed. I promised her that I would always stay as long as that was what was best for her. And I've never been the best for her."

"Wow." I breathed and shook my head slowly as I tried to envision the sacrifice behind Edward's motives. Alice had picked up the story from there, during a whispered conversation while Edward had been out hunting. That conversation felt like so long ago that it surprised me. "I can see why you did it."

"It was always to keep her safe." He replied quietly then surprised me by enveloping me in a hug. I relaxed into his chest, my cheek lightly gliding over the front of his tee shirt. But a new question filled my mind and I couldn't help but ask. "If you could have Bella back now, with no interferrance from me and Jacob, would you take it?"

I expected him to take a second to answer. I was fully prepared for him not being able to answer me right away. After all, that was how deep their love had supposedly gone. But seeing Bella and Jacob, interacting for such a short time with their little boy in tow, my conviction on the subject wavered.

It completely broke when I was suddenly turned and Edward's lips crashed onto mine. My mood swings were under control, but that didn't mean I was able to react rationally to him kissing me. Wounding my arms tightly around his neck, I opened my eyes when he pulled away and sighed quietly.

"I wouldn't trade anything I have right now. Yes, I love Bella and I always will. But I'm _in love_ with you. You're who I want to spend the rest of eternity with. I don't ever want you to doubt that. And, if we're being honest here, every single time I walked into your hospital room and saw you lying there, with your heart still beating...." Trailing off, he shook his head slowly then looked at me again, his eyes suddenly blazing in a way I'd never really seen before. "You were the first human to nearly unravel me since Bella. Your blood tempted me probably just as much as Bella's tempted me. I think that's when I realized that there was something very different about you."

His confession took me back. I hadn't been expecting him to say something like that, to revert back to a time when I had been so deeply unaware of the world going on around me. Slowly, I regained my barings and remembered what I'd intended to say before his omission. "I don't doubt that, or doubt you when you say that." I looked up at him and nodded bravely, even smiling to further convince him. Leaning up on my toes, I pressed my lips to his lightly again then gestured toward the house. "Let's get back in there. I don't want her to think I'm already avoiding her or something."

"She won't think that." He shook his head slowly but stopped me when I moved to head back for the house. "But first, can you explain why you shut me out when you saw Bella and her child?"

I sighed, mostly in frustration and scowled up at him. "You couldn't just let that go, could you?" I jokingly grumbled then shrugged, my arms bouncing against my sides as I tried to figure out exactly what to say. "I was remembering bringing Colby home from the hospital. How it felt to be her mother and have someone completely dependant on me."

"You miss it, don't you?" Edward questioned quietly, only a small hint of remorse in his voice.

I bit down on my lip and nodded slowly, looking at the space of land behind him as my hands molded against his sides. "I'm probably always going to miss being a mom. That little girl was the only good thing Jason ever gave me. I know how Esme must have felt when she lost her baby. But it will get easier, I promise." I smiled again and nodded then reached up to lightly cup his cheeks. "It's over now, remember? My past is safely tucked where it belongs."

"As is mine." He promised, his eyes swimming with reassurance before he leaned down and gently captured my lips in a slow-building, but searing kiss.

As much as I didn't want to, I grudgingly broke the kiss and stepped away from him. The corners of my lips were still lifted in a smile as Edward took my hand and gently guided me back to the house. Passing my car, I suddenly realized the photo album in the backseat and jerked to a stop. Again, he looked at me in confusion but relaxed as I wiggled into the backseat, retrieved the item then climbed back to my feet. There was no need to keep my car locked up. After all, who would be stupid enough to try and steal a vampire's wheels?

I really hoped I never learned the answer to that.

Bella, Jacob, and their baby were camped out on the wide, white couch by the time Edward and I finally walked back inside. I was once again overcome with the scent of her pulse, but had a better grip on myself this time around. It wasn't much of a shock and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could resist her. It helped that she was holding the baby in her arms, who had a perfect mixture of his mother and father in his bloodstream. It was just enough to keep my thirst from ripping my throat raw.

"What're we talking about?" I asked and perched on the arm of the chair Edward had been sitting in before the Blacks' arrival. Slinging one leg over into the seat, I hugged the book to my chest and leaned forward slightly.

"Bella and Jacob's son." Esme answered, smiling as she looked up at me briefly then returned her eyes to the little boy wiggling around in his mama's lap.

"What's his name?" I asked suddenly, unable to help myself as I turned and dropped carefully into the chair. Esme gave me a disapproving look, mainly because I was sitting with one foot flat on the floor while my other leg remained slung over the arm. Smiling at her sheepishly, I even blew her a kiss before refocusing on Bella. Edward came around from behind the chair and deposited himself on the arm, after moving me long enough to get comfortable. I just draped my leg over his, sticking my tongue out in faux annoyance.

Everyone, including Bella and Jacob snickered and I fought the impulse to stand up and bow. Too over-the-top. Everyone settled and Bella was looking at me again, her son's fingers curling then releasing her index fingers. "His name's Ephram, after Jacob's great-grandfather."

I blinked again in surprise then smiled as I looked down at the baby again. "Very fitting name. He looks like an Ephram."

"Thank you." Bella smiled timidly at me but jumped in surprise when Jacob spoke for the first time since their arrival.

"So what made you two decide to get married?"

Edward laughed lightly, surprised by Jacob's bluntness. But a quick glance up at him confirmed that he didn't look bothered by the question. Shrugging, he smiled down at me then looked up at Jacob again. "I can't really explain, but it's something I've been thinking about for a while. So I just decided to ask and see how she reacted."

"I didn't react very well." I muttered bashfully and grinned a little when my statement earned a few snickers from the gathered audience. Alice drifted closer and deposited herself directly between me and Bella. I couldn't help myself and reached out to lightly tousle her hair, causing her to jump and pout up at me. I just grinned at her then jumped when an elbow suddenly met my arm.

"Ow!" I blurted out, glaring up at Edward then realized I'd been asked another question. "Sorry." I muttered again, still bashful and shrugged when I caught the question I'd missed. "I...was married, while I was human."

Bella's eyes rounded in surprise and she actually gasped. "But you don't look much older than Edward does."

I chuckled and nodded thoughtfully. "I wasn't. I didn't have the best upbringing either. When I got pregnant, my parents signed papers for my emancipation and I married him. I was deluded enough back then to believe in the happily ever after."

"Then how'd you end up with the Cullens?" Wow, I was really starting to appreaciate Jacob's bluntness. Then again, I could see where that had helped him gain a relationship with Bella.

"Jacob." Edward warned, his voice low, but not all that menacing. I just patted his arm and smiled encouragingly up at him.

"It's okay." I announced, for his and other members of our family's benefit then looked at Bella's husband again. "Without going into a lot of detail, I was trying to escape, he found me and nearly beat me to death. I was dumped outside the ER that Carlisle's works at and he decided to change me."

As I said that, I looked up at Carlisle. He was standing behind the couch Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett were squished into and smiled kindly at me. "I couldn't let her die. That's always been my downfall as you know." The conversation broke long enough for us to laugh, and thankfully all other questions and topics were steered away from my horrific past.

It was oddly comforting to be sitting where I was, surrounded by people who genuinely seemed to care about me and my relationship with Edward. They supported us and some actually looked anxious for the upcoming nuptuals. It wasn't as tense as I thought it would be, meeting the girl that had once captured and held Edward's heart so tightly in her hands.

It was strange to me how life went on, even when one's heart stopped beating.

But just as I was getting comfortable, Bella's soft voice reached my ears. She had passed baby Eprham off to her husband and timidly advanced to my chair. "Piper? Would it be asking too much to talk to you alone?"

I mentally reeled in surprise then nodded in spite of myself. "Sure." I announced and gestured to the front door. "We can talk outside if you don't mind." Just because it wasn't cold outside to me, didn't mean that the same would hold for Bella.

She accepted though and we quietly excused ourselves to the front yard.


	27. Chapter 27

_Stephenie Meyer's holdin' all the cards, I'm just peeking over her shoulder._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven:**

Once we were outside, Bella didn't begin speaking automatically, as I figured she would have.

So it surprised me a little that I was the one to start the conversation. "I hope this isn't weird for you."

She started and looked at me in surprise. It was a little comical how close in height we were. She was just a little taller than I was, which irked me a little. All superficial though. I was determined to find someone other than Alice that I was taller than. I just had inches on her though.

Bella was quiet and thoughtful for a few minutes as we slowly paced away from the house. I matched my stride to hers, letting our feet carry us as far as she wanted. "It's not really weird so much as surprising." She announced quietly, though her voice was clear as a bell to my ears. "I always wondered what it would be like to have Edward come back. I don't want to make you feel bad by going into the details of what him leaving did to me. But I do want you to know that I got over it. All of it. I don't know how I did, but somehow I managed to piece myself back together. Having Jacob there, not giving up or backing off helped." She laughed lightly then stopped and turned to look at me.

"I wondered about that." I mused aloud, mostly for her benefit. Her eyes were less sensitive than mine were and I had to keep reminding myself of that. "I've never asked him for the details reguarding y'all either. I didn't think it was my place to demand answers for something that doesn't directly relate to me. But I did wonder, what him leaving did to you."

"I'm sorry for all of that." She whispered in a quiet rush, her eyes closing for a brief second before opening again. "And I apologize for him comparing us. I called him on that when he showed up in La Push the last time. He's never really been known to let himself off the hook. He tortures himself way too much."

"And it's beyond infuriating." I agreed then laughed quietly. Bella joined in and we snickered for a few seconds before sombering up again. "I'll admit that I have no idea how to act around you, Bella. I only ever dated one boy during my entire human life, so having Edward here and wanting to marry me and all of this...it's still a little overwhelming to me. I've always wanted to meet you too and now here you are. I just don't want you to feel like I'm shoving everything in your face. That I'm somehow...showing you what I have and you don't."

"I don't think that at all." She replied quietly and I was suddenly in awe of the human woman standing in front of me. She was so wise and adult for her age. She'd done a lot of growing up in her twenty-one years of life. She was a wife, and a mother, emersed in the same supernatural existance that I was. "I fully expected you to be happy, and I'm glad to see that Edward's finally taken a chance on you. It makes me feel better to know that he'll be taken care of. Even if I'm not the one to take care of him, I want him to have the happiness I have with Jacob."

"Thank you." I replied feverishly, surprising even myself. "For everything, Bella. I know how it feels to be hurt by the person you love most, and to lose them. But I don't want you to think that you have to go back to La Push and cease contact with Edward and the family. That you've completely lost him. I'll never stand in the way of that if you choose to continue being in their lives. I just hope you can accept me into that picture."

She smiled then and nodded as she stepped up and wound a hand around my arm. I didn't really take her for the touchy-feely type, but her grasping my arm seemed to fit in with the image of Bella I had in my head. "I think that can be arranged." She snickered then both of us looked up at the sound of Emmett's booming voice.

"Time for the humans to eat! And Piper, Edward's wanting to go hunt."

"Then tell him to go!" I announced and winked at Bella before throwing an arm around her neck. "I've got my meal right here!"

She laughed and sounded the perfect pitch of surprised. Emmett nearly fell over himself in shock then darted back into the house. No doubt to tell Edward or someone else that I was close to caving. We both nearly doubled over in laugher, our arms still thrown around each other when Jacob and Edward burst onto the porch.

"Cool your jets!" I laughed out, waving him off when he and Bella's husband began to walk toward us. "I'm just kidding around. Sheesh, you kill a couple humans...." Trailing off, I just shrugged then winced when I realized Bella didn't know that about me.

She looked at me in genuine alarm and I shook my head. "They had it coming. I've only tasted human blood once and have no real inkling to do so again. The only good thing about my former life. You're completely safe with me, I promise." I nodded once and winked at her as we straightened to our full heights. "You and your son. You've got no worries from me. Well, you might not get your son back for a while."

Bella laughed at that and nodded as we made our way back toward the house. "I figured you would say that, especially after you mentioned being pregnant yourself. Can I...I mean, I don't want to overstep anything...."

I caught on easily to what she was trying to get at and smiled sadly at her. "She was six months old when she passed away. I didn't leave anyone worth mentioning behind when Carlisle changed me."

* * *

Once everyone had settled and completed the nessessary hunting trips, we all assembled together for more stories and reminicing. Ephram was sleeping peacefully in the bassinet that had been set up in a corner of the living room, moonlight streaming in to capture every one of his serene expressions. I couldn't help but smile as I watched him sleep, wondering if he was dreaming about happy things that every baby should. I couldn't help but think of my own child as I watched the little boy, wondering how different my life would be now had she lived.

Would we finally have the life I'd always wanted for us, free from Jason and his constant abuse? Or would he have found a way to regain his power over us and force his family back into submission.

"What's this?" I looked over when I heard Esme. She had found the photo album I brought in and was staring at the cover curiously. Probably trying to figure out if she'd made it and when.

"It's a photo album I made." I announced quietly and strode back over to where she was standing. The others were in the dining room, relaxing and laughing while Jacob and Bella ate a late dinner. Esme smiled as I approached and timidly lifted the cracked leather top to reveal the first page. My script flowed across the pristine white page, the last letter I'd ever written for my birth mother. No name had been written in my bubbily handwriting and I made the sudden decision. "I'd like you to have it, if you want. It's filled with pictures from my childhood. I figured the others would get a kick out of it, maybe they'd like it if they knew what my original haircolor was and my birth-given eye color."

"That's very sweet." Esme smiled at me again, the corner of her lips wavering in the sign that she was crying in her own way. Nothing of sentiment was ever ruined on Esme Cullen. "But if you want to keep it, I'll understand."

"Nah." I shook my head and grinned, tapping my temple. "The good memories are still up here. And anyway, I made that for my mom. The way I see it, that's you. You're more of a mother to me than my human mother ever could be."

"Thank you." She enthused and wrapped me in a tight hug before she walked over to the couch and sat down. The others slowly trickled in from there, no doubt from Edward quietly telling them what was going on with me and the matriarch of our family.

The curiousity on their faces was hard to disguize and I was soon seated between Esme and Edward, our family and guests lounging around to hear the happier points of my human life.

"Oh wow." I mused when she flipped to the first page. The top photograph was of me, taken when I was just beginning to walk. I had a shocking shade of brown hair, already thick and full on my toddler head. My eyes had been captured by the camera's flash, the redness having dimmed slightly as the picture faded. "I forgot how thick my hair used to be."

"And that color!" Bella enthused, snickering as she looked at Edward. "Looks like you kept up your preferences."

I glanced between the two in curiosity, only to have Edward lightly pat my hand with the promise of explaining later. It would upset Tanya's feelings and I didn't want that to happen with my impromptu trip down memory lane.

Esme slowly flipped through the rest of the pictures, Edward commenting on the bright shade of blue-green that my eyes had once been. It was weird to see myself like that, so vivacious and human. My cheeks in one picture were stained violently with red and I'd been caught laughing. My mouth was open and my head had fallen back, straight brown hair flowing down my back to the bottom of my ribcage.

"One of the girls I hung out with in school must have taken that." I mused with a small frown then wanted to hide my face as soon as Esme came to the last of the pictures. All of me in the beginning stages of my pregnancy.

"Wow." I laughed and wrinkled my nose as Esme paused on the pictures of me proudly showing off my protruding belly. "I got fat fast!"

The women in the room laughed and Bella actually patted my shoulder sympathetically while Esme beamed at me. "You looked beautiful, honey." She announced then gasped when she got to the last page. The only picture ever taken of Colby was nestled on that final page, an addition I'd made shortly after her birth. Right above it was the last human picture taken of me, hugely pregnant and grimacing at the camera.

"I can't believe that's you." Edward's voice was soft in my ear as he leaned over me to closely inspect the pictures. Not that he needed to with his superior eyesight. But it felt good to see the excitement in his eyes, to have him so eager for tidbits of my human life.

"It wasn't _all_ bad." I mused with a small shrug of my shoulders then reached out and swiped my fingers gently over the picture of Colby. The only thing Jason had ever caved on. He'd let me have a professional picture taken of our baby. "He had his good moments, they just didn't outweigh the bad."

"She looks just like you." Alice breathed from her perch in front of me. I grunted in surprise when she actually sat up and plopped down in my lap for closer inspection.

"Bony ass." I muttered and tousled her hair again. She jumped, threw an elbow toward my ribs, but was thwarfed by Edward. I blew him a kiss then laughed when everyone started joking about the wide ranges of hairstyles I'd had in my childhood. It wasn't until I reached my teens that I decided to stop cutting it, wanting to see how long my hair could get before I'd had enough and chopped it all off.

Once there were no more pictures to joke about and coo over, Alice wandered off with Jasper. The sisters went outside to enjoy the night air, and Esme headed upstairs to look over the final preparations for the wedding. That left only me, Edward, and the Black family in the living room.

Even though a lot had happened in the day and my head was still swimming with thoughts and new memories; I felt peaceful. Much like Edward had noticed when we were out on the porch last time.

"We better try and get some sleep." Bella announced quietly a short time later, doing her best to stiffle a yawn as she got up to go retrieve Ephram.

"I'll watch him." I offered and leaned back against the couch to look at her better. She turned around, looking surprised and gestured toward the kitchen.

"He'll need a bottle in a few hours and I...."

"Wouldn't be imposing at all." I finished for her, knowing that motherly look on her face. It was one I'd worn quite a bit when Colby was still alive. "I don't mind, really. It's not like we need sleep." I joked, even winking at her.

Jacob joined my side, smiling his gratitude as he stepped up to his wife. "We really do need the sleep. You look like the walking dead, Bells."

She gaped up at him and I couldn't resist the light launch of a pillow to his back. He laughed and jumped, pretending to scowl at me before they said their goodnights and shuffled upstairs.

Sighing, I just set the photo album I'd been flipping through aside and leaned back against Edward's smooth chest. "And then there were two...and a half."

He chuckled at my lame attempt of a joke and pressed a light kiss to my hair. "You did good today, Piper. I was surprised by how well you and Bella hit it off."

"What," I teased and looked up at him in alarm. "You thought we wouldn'?"

He just frowned at me, silently daring me to continue on with my game then relaxed as he began to lightly rub my arm. "I just thought it would be difficult for you to have her here, that the history would get in the way and hinder a possible friendship between you two."

"No such luck for you, buddy." I snickered and lightly slapped his thigh. "I can see why you fell for her." I added on, seriously after a beat or two of silence. "She's an amazing person. I told her that if she wants to keep in contact with you and the rest of the family, I wouldn't stand in her way."

"Careful," He cautioned and grinned at me mischeviously. "That might just come back to bite you."

Rolling my eyes, I just lightly pushed his head away then jumped up on sheer reflex when Ephram began to cry. "Whoa." I muttered, looking over at Edward once I had the baby securely wrapped in a blanket that would keep him warm from my temperature, then in my arms. "This crap's _engrained_ dude!" I whined and pouted at him as he rose to his feet. "Help!"

He laughed again then kissed the top of my head before bending slightly to peer down at the little boy in my arms. But as he stood there, watching Ephram calm himself down, a peculiar expression crossed his features. "I'll never be able to give you this."

The weight of his words felt like a wrecking ball aimed square for my chest. It hit it's target and I instantly wanted to cry. "Edward," I sighed and laid the baby down gently. Once I was sure he would fall back to sleep, I turned and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I can't give you that either. But it'll be okay. As long as we have each other, everything will work out. Besides, we'll just sneak attack Bella and Jacob every once in a while and take him off their hands." I announced and grinned up at him cutely.

He laughed, kissed me gently then straightened back up. "You may have to get in line, love."

"I know." I sighed and rested my forehead against his chest. "You know the others have already gotten their plans mapped out perfectly. Especially Alice!"

"She does have the unfair advantage." He chuckled then frowned. "Actually, she doesn't."

I looked up then, confused by the strange turn in his spoken thoughts. He didn't let me go as he explained the blind spots in Alice's visions, which I hadn't even known _could_ exist. Because of Jacob's supernatural nature, anytime a path mixed with his, everything went dark. No one could explain it, but research was already being done by the pixie vampire and her other half.

Hmm, finally. Even playing field where Alice was concerned. I liked it.


	28. Chapter 28

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **__The chapter y'all have been waiting for! There is only one more chapter left after this, and I hope you guys enjoy the rest of this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it._

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just playing in her sandbox._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight:**

The day of the wedding dawned gray and bleak, the perfect weather for a vampire wedding. I'd been counting down the hours until dawn, knowing that in just a short time, I would be bound to Edward in all the ways that mattered most. The same venom coursed through our veins, I had his family's name, his family was already my family. All that was left were the titles set by human customs.

Customs I strangely wasn't worried about.

Bella and Jacob had taken up my old bedroom, along with baby Ephram. I could hear their quiet snores filtering down the hallway. Emmett and Jasper had dragged Edward out of the house to hunt and basically be kept away from me until it was time for him to show back up. Grooms always did have it so damn easy when it came to getting married. But I did hope that he could escape long enough for us to talk. I just had no hope of that since Jasper had abandoned the hunting trip early, leaving Edward under Emmett's survailence.

Parts of the house was already beginning to be packed up, Esme wanting to get a headstart on the move. Carlisle had already resigned from the hospital, claiming that Esme had some sick family in another part of the US and wanted to be by her ailing family member's side. They had understood and it was the same excuse given when the "children" were pulled from their respective schools. Rosalie and Emmett wanted to take some time off anyway, already having planned a trip through Africa. Alice and Jasper were going to stay with Carlisle and Esme, too in love with the idea of just settling somewhere new to put any concrete plans into effect.

As for myself and Edward? I officially had no idea what was in store for us once we said our vows. But I did have at least one surprise up my sleeve. Turning away from the window I'd been staring out, I eventually found Jasper in his and Alice's bedroom. She was with Esme, running around like a child on a massive sugar high, which left him with nothing to really do.

"Hey Bubba." I grinned brightly at him once I'd knocked and been invited into the room. I couldn't just stroll in, no matter how much time I spent with the Cullen family. It was too intrusive for my liking.

He looked up from the thick, leather-bound book in his lap and smiled. "Hi Sis, what brings you down here?"

"I was just wondering about that little project I asked about." I started, even squinting at him as I eased into the chair that was right next to his, but at a slight angle.

"Ah." He nodded and closed the volume in his hands, replacing it on the shelf before he came back with a manilla envelope. "I finished it up just a few hours ago. I was a little surprised that you were willing to accept my help on this."

I just shrugged and carefully flipped back the seal on the envelope. Spilling everything out into my lap, I couldn't help but smile when the new driver's liscence caught my eye. "Carlisle let it slip that you handle most of the name documents so I figured you were my best bet."

"I was happy to help." He lightly grasped my wrist then let go before leaning over to help me inspect everything. He had a better eye for this than I did, he'd been creating papertrails for the family longer than I'd been alive! Weird thought, but one I was quickly wrapping my head around.

"Any idea on the new location once we're done jetsetting around?" I asked, smiling as I stuffed everything back into the envelope and tucked the flap into place. "And remember, no thinking about this around Edward. I want him to be surprised."

"Secret's safe." He promised, even crossing the space of his chest over his heart before shrugging. "I honestly don't know. Carlisle and Esme have a few locations in mind. Everyone was thinking about maybe trying to settle near the sisters for a little while. It'll be good to have some family around, and it'll keep everyone closer to Bella and Jacob in case they want to kidnap the baby."

I laughed lightly and shook my head as I reclined back against the wide, dark leather chair. "I still can't believe how all of this has come together."

"What do you mean?" I turned my head and met Jasper's perplexed expression. He was obviously feeding off my emotions and could sense some lingering unease.

"Well," I shifted and tucked a leg beneath me as I turned to face him. "I'm just not used to everything coming together so neatly. It's in my nature to wait for the bottom to fall out. I figured it would happen when Bella showed up and we weren't lucky enough to get along as well as we do. But...it's perfect. My life has _never _been perfect."

"Enjoy it." Jasper whispered passionately and grasped my arm again. "Don't worry about how long it's going to last, just enjoy each and every single day you have with Edward and our family. You're one of us, Kiddo. You're the newbie now." He revealed the grinned animatedly at me.

I laughed at that then nodded before I began to sulk again. "I'm sorry if all of my adjusting weirded you out. Edward's told me some of how abstience has been...difficult for you."

"It's a lot easier now than it was when Bella first came into our lives. I'll admit that Edward walking away from her gave me the inspiration I needed to further cement my resolve. But with your background, Piper, I never had a doubt that you would loathe taking human life."

"But I _have_ taken human life." I admitted quietly in a sudden rush that surprised me. "I've taken two lives, what right did I have in doing so?"

"They hurt you." He reasoned and leaned closer to me. "Revenge among our kind is a natural thing. I hate to say that, but it is. I began my life among such revenge. I was created and groomed for the benefit of others. I destroyed and left nothing but destruction in my wake until I realized my gift and later, Alice. My conscious developed through that and I realized what was depressing me so much. But that part of my history is always going to be with me. Just as the brutality of your human life will remain with you. Your gift of finding the truth helps some, so really you didn't stand a chance at being a normal vampire."

I laughed at his joke then leaned over and lightly kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Jazz." I smiled warmly at him, rubbing his arm a couple of times before I gathered the envelope and climbed to my feet. "I'll let you get back to your reading now. I have to go hide this before Edward comes home."

"I'll see you in a few hours, Ms. Cullen." He teased, even winking at me as I ghosted to the door.

"That's _Mrs._ Cullen to you, buddy." I laughed and jokingly pointed at him before I headed back up to my room.

Time seemed to inch by slowly from there, then the constant stream of visitors began. Everyone but Edward came through to check on me, and it was only Alice, Rosalie, Bella, and Esme that stayed in the end. All to help me get ready for the ceremony that was now fastly approaching.

It wasn't going to be traditional in the ways a normal, human ceremony was and for that I was grateful. After an impromptu discussion with Edward, I learned that I still needed some time before I went that route. He promised to give me that time, claiming we could follow in Rose and Emmett's footsteps once I was ready. Whenever the family settled in a new town and acclimated as well as possible, Rose and Emmett put together a lavish wedding that included the townspeople. Alice and Jasper had gone that route, only needing one public display of love to satisfy them. When I was ready, we could follow in our siblings' footsteps and have the wedding I wanted Edward to have. The ceremony we both had been denied as humans.

My dress was simple; white satin cinched right below my breasts with a tiny silver ribbon then billowed out to my calves. I'd let Alice have her fun with my shoes and my feet were now strapped into heels that matched the glittery hue of the dress' sash. Rosalie had styled my hair in a sophisticated, yet messy tousle of spikes, my makeup light and almost romantic.

That was the only way I could describe the image my sisters had created for me as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

The person I saw now was nothing like the girl I'd been when I set to marry Jason North. The horrors were behind me, never to darken my door again now that I had Edward beside me.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Emmett teased when he was finally allowed to come in and see me.

Snickering, I just rolled my eyes and carefully hugged him. "Might as well." I tossed back and lightly elbowed him in the ribs before Alice shoved a bouquet of flowers into my hand. Blinking, I just stuck my tongue out at her and looked back at my large brother. "Besides, we already know I can't escape you guys. Y'all won't let me!"

"Stop denying that you love us." Rose pretended to huff and drapped an arm around my bare shoulders. She was dressed for the private ceremony in a dress that matched mine perfectly, except for in color. The dresses she and Alice wore were the faintest blue I could find without dipping into the white palette.

"But it's fun." I whined pathetically, still grinning at her cutely when Bella suddenly entered the room.

"Um," She flushed slightly and gestured behind her, baby Ephram alert but still in her arms. "Everyone's starting to get fidgety downstairs."

Rolling my eyes, I just grunted in response and took one last look at myself in the mirror as Rosalie secured a shoulder-length veil against the crown of my spiky hair. "Edward's probably self-depricating like crazy and assuming that I ran."

"Again." Rose muttered then laughed when I whirled around to slap her bare arm.

"He did it the first time!" I screeched, jokingly of course, then motioned for everyone to start filing out of the spacious bathroom we'd all piled into. I still didn't know why vampires needed makeup, especially if there weren't going to be an unsuspecting humans around. Bella, Jacob, and their son were the only humans in attendance and we could be as pasty white as we wanted around them!

Oh well, I'd given Alice free reign. I'd just had to make a _lot_ of promises that I would let her go all-out when I decided to go through the charade of being a human bride.

"Let's get this show on the road." I muttered and squared my shoulders. Carlisle snickered as he came up beside me. He was pulling double duty today; walking me down the isle _and_ acting as our unofficial magistrate for the ceremony. Alice and Rose took their places in front of me, latched securely on the arms of their gentleman. Everyone was gathered around the pristine white arch that Emmett had constructed for the ceremony, per Esme's instructions. It was a really beautiful sight, the spot we'd picked to get married on. It was in the backyard, a landscape of trees and moss blanketing our 'backdrop' perfectly. There was a faint trace of dew in the air and created a mouthwatering, well from what I remembered, blend with the flowers that had been woven through the white woodwork. Ribbons in white and silver floated lazily in the breeze, the white isle tacked into the ground still smooth and unruffled. Everyone stood on either side, since it wasn't a huge affair and most of the guests were vampires.

But as soon as I saw Edward, none of that registered. I didn't care how our site looked. Everything could fall over in a huge gust of wind and I wouldn't lift a finger to stop it, or wallow in misery later. The most important piece of the puzzle stood just to the right of where Carlisle would stand once my arm was laced through his son's.

His suit was jet black and perfectly pressed. The jacket was closed over the silver tie he wore over his crisp white shirt with his hair as unruly and perfect as ever, the lingering rays of daylight playing invitingly among the bronze strands. I'd told him that he could wear whatever he wanted, but we both knew we'd be overruled by Esme and the others. It all had to be perfect. Or at least, _their_ version of perfect.

Emmett and Jasper took their places beside their brother, the girls waiting for me on the other side of the unofficial alter. Carlisle stopped when we reached Edward and kissed both of my cheeks gently before looping my arm around the curve of his elbow. Once I took that last step to stand beside Edward, Carlisle stepped up onto the small platform and faced the crowd that had come together behind us.

"We're here today to celebrate the love between Edward and Piper." He spoke, his voice perfectly clear and even. He smiled at both of us then gazed out at our gathered family. "It's always a very surprising thing, when two people fall into love and decide to dedicate themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. This commitment isn't taken lightly, especially in our world."

I couldn't help but snicker at the implications behind _our_. Edward raised an eyebrow at me in amusement and I quickly shot Carlisle a sheepish look when he gazed down at me. He wasn't mad at all, in fact it was just the opposite. I think he geninuely loved seeing me so happy, and I know he loved seeing the smile on Edward's face.

"When our kind mates, we do so for the rest of eternity." Carlisle went on and smiled adoringly at his own wife before he looked down at me and Edward. "These two know full-well what they've decided to embark upon, to embrace the love formed between them and express that love in this traditional way. At this time, the bride and groom would like to recite vows written by their own hand, then exchange tangible symbols of their love for the rest of the world to see."

"Then there's cake." I muttered under my breath. Jumping in surprise when I realized that everyone had heard me, unintentionally, I grinned sheepishly at the crowd and shrugged a shoulder up. "Well, for you solid food-eaters."

A collective snicker rang through the crowd again, Edward joining in this time as he shook his head then gently tugged on my hands to recapture my attention. Once I saw the look on his face, he had it. My thoughts snapped then wound back together with a one common thread; Edward. He was going first.

"I never thought that I would find someone like you." He started, his voice low and so velvety that I was sure my knees would turn to jello. Even with all the vampiric reinforcements. "You blew into our lives and I didn't stand a chance. I'll never be able to thank my father enough for bringing you into not just our world, but our family. I can't imagine a reality where I wouldn't know you. You're everything that's good and pure with the world, you've suffered so much but yet, here you are. Standing with me, willing to put up with me for the rest of eternity. It's a tall order, I know and admit that. But I honestly can't think of anyone I'd rather take on the job than you. Thank you for letting me into your heart, for letting me see the girl you once were, as well as the woman you are now. I'll love you every single day of forever, Piper. The nightmares are over, I just hope I can be the silver lining you've always dreamed of."

A lump the size of a fist formed in my throat as I listened to him speak. I'd always known that he had a way with words. He could turn anyone to putty and that was just with his charismatic capabilities. I felt the dry pricking against the back of my eyes, where my tear ducts once produced moisture, and the tightening in my throat flowed down into my chest. I was so grateful I wasn't human in this moment, otherwise I'd of been a blubbering mess.

"It's now the bride's turn." Carlisle spoke quietly, giving me an added moment to recollect myself.

Drawing in a very unnessessary breath, I squared my shoulders again and stared up at the rest of my life. "From the moment I first saw you, I knew that there was something special about you. Something deep inside that was so good and sweet but very rarely got to see the light of day. I saw how you viewed yourself and resolved to try and change your mind. To make you see yourself the way I do. Things haven't always been easy for us, and the past has gotten in the way far more than I'd like. But you've given me something that no one has ever been able to." I paused, hating how strained my voice was becoming then took another large gulp of air. Settling it into my lungs, I blew it out slowly and smiled as I squeezed his hands gently. "You helped me make peace with the past, with the life I left behind. You restored my faith in family and made it okay for me to believe in love again. You took a broken and jaded girl and helped her become the woman you see before you now. The woman that's promising to never leave your side, or stop loving you. I'm yours, Edward. I have been since the day I opened my bright red eyes and I will be until the day forever ceases to exist."

A thick layer of silence fell as my last word rang through the air, only a few sniffles resonating as Edward and I exchanged simple bands. They would later serve as purity rings whenever we embarked on the new high school experience. But for right then, in that moment, I believed in the tiny circle of metal surrounding my finger. The outward symbol that someone in this world loved me so much that he wanted me to be his for as long as possible.

"Please allow me to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen." Carlisle suddenly boomed, spreading his arms wide with the brightest smile I'd ever seen on his face.

"The last Cullen finally got hitched!" Emmett roared and the crowd promptly dissolved into laughter.


	29. Chapter 29

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**__ I'm surprised I was able to pull all of this off tonight, but here it is! The final chapter in the story of Piper and Edward. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I have writing it. Thank you so __**so**__ much for sticking with me through __More Like Her__ and following me into __Maybe Tomorrow__. Another story is currently in the works, as well as me refocusing on __Breathe__. But I do have one very important question to ask and hope to recieve many answers. In my next story, who would you like to see as the male lead; Edward or Jasper? This is just one story I'm preparing to start on so don't let that sway your votes. Please let me know and enjoy the final chapter!_

_Stephenie Meyer's the genius, I'm just playing in her sandbox._

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**Chapter Twenty-Nine:**

I blew out a noisy breath as I watched humans milling around. It was the first day of school and my insides felt like they'd between twisted into one giant knot.

The entire family had taught me virtually every single thing I need to know about pretending to be human, having spent the last seven years grooming me for this exact moment. There were times when I still couldn't believe that it had been over five years since I awoke a member of the immortal Cullen family.

I'd thought that time would make me immune to all of the beauty now surrounding me, but that wasn't the case. If anything, I found my family even more elegant than I had the day I first opened my eyes to greet them.

The most beautiful was still, of course, Edward. My husband and the best lover I'd ever known. I still wasn't used to the place he held in my life.

"You sure you want to do this?" Speak of the proverbial devil, Edward suddenly appeared beside me and lightly wove his fingers through mine. I gulped noisily and nodded, tightening my other hand around the strap of my school bag.

"More than ready." I admitted and nodded quickly. He responded with a dazzling smile and bent to brush his lips against mine as our siblings rejoined us. Much like they had when I joined them, they were playing the parts of high school students. The only difference this time around was the fact that we were evenly split between the last two grades of high school. Rose and Emmett were going through the high school system yet again, mainly out of a show of support to me and were joining Jasper as a member of the Senior class while Edward, Alice, and I played the parts of high school juniors.

I was finally getting to finish my own schooling. I'd been just about to begin my junior year of high school when life got in the way. It had taken quite some time, but I was finally getting to go back. I'd just yet to reveal the surprise I'd conjured up in the days leading to my and Edward's wedding.

"So when are you going to tell us the name on your file?" Rosalie asked, sweeping in on my right and looped her arm through mine. We had settled near Bella and Jacob, so that the family could continue to watch the unpresidented growth of their little boy, Ephram. He was about to celebrate his fifth year of life and I had to laugh a little at the thought of him starting school around the time I would finally reach my senior year.

"I'm not sure yet." I mused, knowing that Edward was glaring at me again. He hated when I kept something from him and this was no exception. But I wanted him to be surprised, geninuely so. Jasper was still the only one who knew what was up my sleeve and I knew it'd been taxing to keep such a secret from our family. Of course, Alice had seen this but promised to keep her mouth shut as well. Plus, I knew Jasper couldn't keep a secret from her and I didn't want him to start attempting that now. Just for my benefit.

We crossed the parking lot at an annoyingly slow rate, causing the bubbling irritation inside me to spike a little. Jasper sensed that and came up directly behind me, his hand still attached to Alice's, to whisper in my ear. "Just let one of us know if you can't handle things."

I nodded silently and mentally steeled myself as we treked into the main part of the school. Amboy, Oregon didn't really have much to boast about, but they had ideal weather and that was the main selling point. For our family, at least. People were already starting to stare as we filed past them, coupled off with our bright golden eyes staring straight ahead.

Everyone else went off to their first classes, having recieved their paperwork prior to the first day. Because of my surprise, I'd waited until the very last minute to pick up my schedule. Edward had to go with me and risk making himself late for his first class. But he was too ovecome with curiosity to just leave me without knowing my full set of classes. That and there was the whole risk thing that leaving me alone presented.

I just liked believing that the other half of my heart was damn overprotective when he wanted to be.

"Hi." I smiled demurely at the receptionist as she met me at the wide, chest high counter that separated the waiting area from the small pocket of offices and desks. "I need to pick up my schedule, my family and I just transfered in."

"Of course." The woman, Mrs. Jameson from the badge on her shirt, smiled vibrantly at me then became noticably flustered when she locked eyes on Edward. It wasn't until she looked down that he rolled his eyes at me and grimaced. Of course, the kindly receptionist lady would be having impure thoughts about a seventeen-year-old high school junior. "What's your name, dear?"

I smiled again and peeked up at Edward before I finally divulged my secret. "Piper Masen. I'm one of Dr. Carlisle Cullen's children."

"Oh!" She flew into a major frenzy then and practically ran to her desk in order to retrieve everything I would need. Once she was gone, I was free to enjoy the full surpise that encompased my husband's face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, low enough so that only we could hear the conversation.

"Yes." He murmered but was still staring at me with an unfathomnable expression lighting his eyes. "I had no idea you would choose that name when we came to school. What's your full name now?"

"Piper Cheyanne Masen. For the time being, anyway." I shrugged nonchalantly and looked ahead when Mrs. Jameson started to shove papers across the counter to me. "Here's your schedule, and a map of the campus. If you or your siblings need anything, please don't hesitate to come back. We'll answer any questions you may have."

"Thank you." I smiled timidly at her and collected what I would need before I let Edward lead me out of the office. Once we were outside, I had a second to register the dampness in the air before I was turned and crushed to Edward's chest.

Burying my face in his neck, I snickered against the collar of his dark leather jacket when he kissed the exposed column of my throat. "I take it you're happy with my new name."

The ghost of a chuckle vibrated against my throat before he straightened up and cupped my face with both of his hands. "You're constantly surprising me, do you realize how difficult that is?"

"Mmm," I hummed in thought then shook my head as I wrinkled my nose teasingly. "Not really difficult for me. I can lock you out, remember?"

He laughed then, a throaty vibration from deep in his throat as he stared at me in awe for a second longer then slid his hand into mine. "Okay, Ms. Masen, lets get you to class before we ruin the infallible reputation that us Cullen children have."

I snorted and shook my head, falling into step easily beside him. There were still some lingering students, mostly freshman who had no idea where they were headed. But I was surprised to find that their pulses didn't send me into a bloodthirsty frenzy. It was uncomfortable, sure, to have my throat feel like a light layer of fire was coating it. But nothing I couldn't manage. Time around Bella and her human family had helped prepare me far better than any of my vampire family could've predicted.

"That's just because they don't know how unruly you Cullen children can be." I teased, winking at him as I lightly swung our joined hands between us.

"Yeah, yeah." He grunted and winked at me as we walked into our first class. It wasn't until we'd sat down that I realized our schedules matched almost perfectly, except for our last class of the day. Of course. Dirty cheater I'd married. He had Spanish, I had requested an art history class.

The classes I would have with Edward passed in the beginnings of a lazy pattern. Our Trigonometry teacher's name was Ms. Nolan and she stared at Edward more than nessessary as she wove through our desks, reciting what would be on our syllabus for the semester. That pattern followed through the rest of the day and we joined our family in the crowded cafeteria. Food remained untouched in front of us as we laughed and joked quietly around the round table separating us. When lunch ended, I had one more class with Edward and Alice, to my surprise, before I was to strike out on my own. The first true test of my endurance.

As soon as I walked into the class by myself after saying goodbye to Edward at the door, I felt the eyes of every single student in the room on me. Choosing a seat in the back, I looked up in surprise when one of the oogling students dared to approach me.

"Hi." He smiled, probably doing his best to look charming as he slid into the seat in front of me. "I'm Derek Cooper, you're one of the new students, right?"

"I am." I agreed and slid my bag onto the desk before sliding into the unforgiving plastic chair.

His smile grew a little more as he nodded and angled so that he was sideways in his own chair, his right arm braced on the low table in front of him. I was surprised to realize that the seat beside me remained empty. Hmm, maybe he wasn't _that_ brave. Something I was grateful for. "What's your name?

"Piper Masen." I answered politely and looked up when the teacher, an attractive man of about thirty strode into the room and began to gesture students into their seats. Once I had the things I would need from my bag, I set it in the vacant seat beside me and began toying with my pencil. All an act, to appear to be something that I wasn't.

"Pretty name." He admired and smiled invitingly at me. "For a pretty girl."

I had to laugh at that, disguizing it at the last possible second to sound more shy than rude. "Thank you, my boyfriend seems to think so."

"Boyfriend?" And just like that, his face crumpled.

I nodded in spite of myself and held up my left hand, where my wedding band had been for the last four years. "And even if I didn't have one, you'd still have a challenge of your hands if you started showing interest in me."

"Purity ring." He muttered and nodded. "Should've known." He grumbled the next part out, probably in a tone that wasn't met for normal human ears. Mine were anything but and I heard him perfectly. But as he swung around to face the front of the class, I let an amused little giggle pass my lips. If he'd only _known_ the type of girl he'd just been trying to hit on! Edward would die of jealousy when he heard about this. Or probably fall over laughing right beside Emmett. Either way, the possible outcomes of revealing this last part of my day kept a smile on my face as Mr. Swinners called the class to order and began to discuss all of the portraits and artists we would be studying throughout the term. The entire time, more muttered curses floated from the boy's lips in front of me. All centered around me and his thwarfed advances. I intrigued him because I was taken, but I scared him because I didn't look like any of the other girls in school, minus my immortally gorgeous sisters. And every single thing he said amused me far more than it probably should have.

I didn't really care though and let the boy rant himself out about how his luck hated him and all the pretty ones were usually taken or weird. According to him, I looked like I was both. But he was also telling himself a lot of lies, each one sparking an uncomfortable prick in the pit of my stomach. Hmm, that was going to get a little aggravating after a while. But if that was the biggest challenge I was going to face, I would gladly take it.

It seemed that, for all the suffering and turmoil I'd suffered throughout the seventeen years of my human life, my vampire life was reimbursing me for that. I was finally free.

Free to love. Free to enjoy the gifts in life with no strings attached. I was free to let my guard down and be the person I'd thought had been lost to me so years ago.

Most of all, I was free to be _happy_. And that was the best gift I could've ever been given by Carlisle Cullen and his family.

**The End.**


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